Cross My Heart
by Clover64
Summary: When Malon loses everything she loves, including Link, will she sink into oblivion along with everyone else in Hyrule or will she rise past the obstacles, utilizing the help of a strange wolf, and save Hyrule? Based on Twilight Princess. A Malink story.
1. Chapter I

**Author's Notes:** Here it is: the beginning of what I hope to be a fantastic story that all my loyal readers will enjoy. This story takes place during Twilight Princess so there will be some definite Twilight Princess spoilers; I suggest playing the game first or if you don't care, go ahead and read...I may end up changing some events and characters, etc. Additionally, it may be a bit confusing in the beginning, but just trust me and keep reading...everything will be explained and everything will come together in the end. That being said, enjoy! Oh, and don't forget to leave me a review, please!

Disclaimer: I do not, nor will ever, own the Legend of Zelda. However, Link and Malon will always live in my heart and this story is dedicated to them.

**Chapter I**

_"Lost in the darkness, hoping for a sign. Instead, there's only silence...can't you hear my screams?"_

_--"Somewhere" by Within Temptation_

_Malon knew this day would come. The day Link was called away to do some dangerous errand of the Princess'. However, knowing and anticipating it did not lessen the blow at all. On the contrary, it intensified it, forcing her to face reality and stop lingering in her self-made fantasy. Had she really believed that Link would be allowed to stay on her little ranch forever? Certainly not, but she hadn't anticipated him being called away so soon either. Link was a hero, after all, and it was his job to see that Hyrule remained safe. She had never begrudged him that; he needed support in what he did--as it was trying work indeed--not spite._

_Despite the logic she forced on herself, Malon was saddened all the same from his departure. Link was the only one she felt a connection with these days. Her father and former owner of the ranch, Talon, had died a few months back and it had been hard for everyone...even Ingo. The ranch-hand continued to do his duties, his unnerving good mood as forced as ever, but there was something almost mechanical about how he did his daily chores...as if the grief had placed a strange hole in his discoloured heart--for it was difficult to truly tell what kind of person Ingo was--but he was so used to doing the chores that he knew not what else to do to lessen the blow of Talon's passing. Link, too, seemed affected by the loss of one of his friends. However, the Hero of Time concealed his grief the best he could from Malon in an attempt to shield her from the pain they were all feeling._

_The thought was appreciated, but Malon had enough heartbreak for them all, despite Link's efforts to comfort her. It had seemed to happen so suddenly: one day Talon was fit as a horse, and the next he was confined to his bed due to a terrible cold. Malon had urged him to go to Kakariko village to seek some medical aid, but Talon refused her, claiming it was no more than a simple "chest cold". He swore he'd be up and about within a few days. A few days quickly turned into a few weeks, and then in the third week, his coughing had become so bad that he couldn't breathe. Malon had pressed for Link then to talk to Talon and urge him to see a healer; after all, Talon looked upon Link as the son he'd never had._

_But by the time Talon got to the shaman, Renado, in Kakariko, his condition had worsened terribly. Renado, bless his heart, did all he could to save the dying man, but in the end...Talon's heart just couldn't handle all the stress the wracking coughs placed on it, and he died during that cold month in winter, in a small room in Kakariko's inn. Malon had been devastated, unable to accept that her father was dead. Link had practically had to drag her away from Talon's lifeless body in the end, letting her cry on his shoulder for what seemed like eternity to her._

_Returning to the Ranch was what really got to her, however; the silence and emptiness she felt nearly forcing her into a mental breakdown. Entering the main house and seeing no sleeping, lazy man beside all the cucco's had hurt Malon deeply, casting the horrible, dreadful truth in the light: Talon was dead, and Malon no longer had a father. After that, she couldn't smile nor laugh nor giggle; she was practically useless in every aspect. Link, having defeated Ganondorf several months prior, stuck around the Ranch, trying to perk his best friend up...but seemingly to no avail. Even Ingo pitched in, not pleased to see the usually chipper girl in such a despondent mood all the time._

_It was not until almost an entire month after Talon's death that Malon woke with a new renewed strength of mind. No one was sure what sprang the change in the young woman, but she was different after that, never complaining about a chore and never reluctant to lend a helping hand where it was needed. Link was also able to, on occasion, wrangle a giggle or two from Malon; that, to him, had been reward enough for sticking around Lon Lon Ranch. Slowly his best friend returned to her normal self, the memory of Talon's passing sticking in her mind, but the memories of the old man warming her healing heart._

_And now Link was leaving. The one person who continued to keep her spirits high, the one person whom she loved dearly. He was her best friend, her only friend, and she constantly worried about his leaving. He had stuck around because he was needed, but now that Ingo and Malon had the Ranch under control, Malon had had a feeling he might leave. However, she was thankful he was not doing it on his own accord. No, he had been summoned by Princess Zelda to investigate something or another in one of the border regions of Hyrule._

_Princess Zelda rarely asked anything of Link, except a friendly visit every now and again, so for her to ask him to do this favor of hers spoke for how dangerous this "quest", as Malon viewed it, could be. It had been a while since Ganondorf's defeat, and Malon had nearly forgotten what unrest in Hyrule was like for it was strangely peaceful as of late, thanks to Link's heroic feats. His leaving, though, brought her back to the days where he was constantly gone, off on some mission to help save Hyrule. Back then, she never knew when he was coming back to visit...or whether he would come back at all. Hyrule had been a very dangerous place back then, and Link was usually fighting in the midst of the most dangerous areas...and all for what? For the belief that he could succeed and bring peace to Hyrule._

_It was a dream, thought Malon, and nothing more. Peace, as she viewed it, could never last too long...with it, it brought unrest, and unrest brought trouble. It was a continuous circle...never ending, always beginning. And now Link was being sent away on an errand due to unrest caused by the peace he had brought. It was ironic..._

_"Malon?" Link's voice called her out of her thoughts. "Are you even listening?"_

_"Mhm," she replied with a faint smile. "Of course I'm listening."_

_Link looked skeptical. "And you're going to be all right...while I'm gone?"_

_Malon placed her hands on her hips. "Are you implying that I can't take care of myself for more than a few days, Link?"_

_"Of course not!" Link said defensively, raising his hands in alarm. "I just wanted to make sure that...well, I didn't want you to worry about...I thought maybe..." He paused, sighing. "I'm just going to stop talking to avoid making more of a fool out of myself."_

_"You're silly, Fairy Boy," Malon giggled. "I'll be fine. I have Ingo to look out for me anyway..." Malon could have sworn she heard a snort from the other room. "Besides, this is your job..."_

_"A job," Link scoffed. "Right."_

_Despite Link's attempt to feign indifference, Malon could tell he was quite eager to be out and about again. He was a hero and, as most heroes become after a time, he was restless. She had noticed him practicing in the early hours of the morning with blade and shield in hand. He had even startled the cuccos a bit just so he could justify taking a swing at them._

_"Malon?" he called her name again._

_"Yes?" she replied sweetly._

_"Are you feeling all right today? You seem a bit...distant," Link commented. He was reluctant to leave her, if only for a short time. Malon was his best friend and, aside from Zelda, the only person that he was concerned about a lot of the time. Zelda had a realm to rule over, while Malon had to run a Ranch; in his eyes, they were equally trying tasks._

_"I'm fine! Will you stop worrying?" Malon said, ushering Link towards the the gate. "If you don't get going soon, it will be nightime before you get to--where are you going again?"_

_"Ordon," he supplied._

_"Before you get to Ordon," Malon repeated._

_"If you're sure..." Link said hesitantly._

_There was a twinkle of amusement in her eyes as she said, "Don't tell me the big bad Hero is afraid of going outside Lon Lon Ranch--"_

_Link puffed up with indignation. "Of course I'm not but--"_

_"Then get going, you slow poke!" Malon ordered._

_They were almost to the gate when Link turned around, grabbing Malon gently by the shoulders. He stared into the depths of her blue eyes, searching for how she really felt about him leaving. Malon had enough on her plate as it was, and Link didn't want to leave her alone to handle the stress of running a ranch almost entirely by herself. Malon blushed faintly, avoiding his gaze as best she could...which was hard to do since he had the most alluring blue eyes that she'd ever seen, and his face was almost always a mask of flawlessness, hiding emotions beneath it. One could tell when the Hero of Time was serious about something, for his mask of strength would falter momentarily, as it was doing now._

_"Malon," he began sincerely, "I'm worried about you."_

_"You shouldn't be--"_

_"But I am; you've been acting differently lately. I just--I don't want you to think I'm abandoning you," Link whispered. "Because I'm not."_

_"I know, Link."_

_He released her. "You seem eager to get rid of me. Have I worn out my welcome this quickly?"_

_It was said in a joking tone, but Malon took it seriously. "Of course not. I'm not blind, though, Link. I know how much you desire for adventure again. It's in your blood...you can't fight what you are."_

_"What am I?" he asked, his voice taking on an almost sad tone._

_Malon smiled compassionately. "You are my best friend, and Hero of Hyrule." This brought a faint smile to Link's face. "But that doesn't mean you won't get away with not doing your chores once you get back!"_

_"I wouldn't dream of it."_

_"Good," Malon said with a satisfactory look. She was out of stall tactics now, she realized. This was it. Link was leaving...on a dangerous quest. It was then when it hit her: he might not come back._

_Link turned to leave then, but Malon reached out and grabbed his hand. "Link?"_

_He looked at her with a quizzical look._

_"Please be careful," she cautioned softly._

_"Hey," he replied lightly. "It's me."_

_"That's what I'm worried about," she quirked her mouth into a suspicious frown._

_He smiled. "I'll be careful."_

_"Promise?"_

_"Cross my heart," was his reply, genuine._

_Malon nodded, wishing desperately to keep him longer, but not eager to look like a lovesick puppy. Link was her friend, and she'd convinced herself that he was nothing more than that. Link was destined for greatness and she was not; it was the simple, painful truth. There would be nothing more than friendship between them, because there could never be anything more. Link deserved better than some lonely, ordinary farmgirl._

_"Bye, Mal," he said, waving farewell as he mounted Epona who waited by the gate, looking as excited as Link felt._

_"Bye, Fairy Boy," Malon replied, watching him gallop off into the distance._

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"Link!" Malon cried, flinging herself upwards in her bed.

Of course there was no reply. There never was a reply. There hadn't been a reply to her cries for a month.

She was alone, swallowed up by the darkness that had invaded Hyrule. Actually, darkness was not quite an appropriate word to describe the despair that had blanketed Hyrule days after their Hero went missing. Twilight had consumed the land, nearly erasing Hyrule's inhabitants into oblivion. It was constantly dark, while the only light that existed trickled in from the sun that cast no warm rays. Most had given up hope of being released by this dreadful prison of twilight many days ago. They were now nothing more than lost spirits, wandering Hyrule in search of something they could never attain.

Malon could not blame them for their loss of hope; she, too, had abandoned hope the day Epona came back, riderless and wounded. Her favourite horse had returned without her favourite friend, and Malon's heart shattered. She had always been strong, for she had always had someone to be strong for. Now, she had no one. Her father was dead, Link was dead, and Ingo had been taken shortly before the all-consuming twilight had fallen.

Of course, a small voice coming from her heart whispered to have faith in Link, to keep hope alive...but that voice was buried beneath the depression that had seeped into her bones, like venom. Everyone in Hyrule had been infected by this poison, and none could escape the fatal fangs of twilight.

It was a strange experience, being trapped in twilight forever. The sun never rose, never brought with it a new day, new beginning. Nor did it set, never taking away the pains of the previous day, and never erasing the memories as one would erase to make a blank canvas. Everyone was trapped in unending twilight, unending memories...both good and bad. It was as if they were all holding their breaths, ready to take the plunge into a new life, but unable to...frozen in their current state. In all aspects, it was as good as being dead...for they felt far more than they wanted to, and didn't feel as much as they desired to, unable to escape from the pain, unable to reach the pleasure.

Dragging herself out of her bed, she noticed, seemed even more difficult today than yesterday. This was not surprising, as every day seemed to bring even more suffering to the peaceful folk of Hyrule, and they were powerless to stop it...as they had been powerless to stop Ganondorf previously. They had, instead, offered no resistance...waiting for their Hero to come and save them, but he never came.

Link never came.

Her legs ached as she walked over to the mirror that hung on the wall above her small vanity and peered into it. She was met with a stranger, someone who was nearly unrecognizable to herself. The woman in the mirror wore a deep frown that looked odd on her pale face. Beneath her hazy blue eyes were dark circles due to sleep deprivation. Additionally, the woman's hair was a mess of reddish curls that dangled loosely around her shoulders, strands from her bangs falling into her forlorn expression. She didn't know this woman that resided in her mirror, but she greeted her every morning all the same.

Sighing to herself, Malon quickly got dressed in her usual attire and went about her daily chores. To lessen the amount of isolation and loneliness she felt, she began to hum her mother's song to herself quietly. This only proved to distress her more as it echoed off the walls of the eerily silent barn, returning to her in the same way it had went, not greeted by familiar neighing from a horse, nor any other comforting animal sound. In fact, the animals, too, seemed affected by this unsettling twilight that had seeped into Hyrule's way of life.

This was especially so for Epona, her favourite horse. She had returned to Lon Lon Ranch a week or so after Link had set out on his mission from the Princess. He had been going to Ordon, one of the small farming communites on the border of Hyrule, to investigate some sort of anomaly. She would have smiled then, thinking of Link's eagerness to go and his reluctance to leave her, but she had forgotten how to smile. Any brightness a smile would bring would only be consumed by the darkness of twilight.

She shivered, thinking back to that cold night when Epona returned to the Ranch. The poor thing had been frightened terribly, and her frantic movements illustrated it. The reddish-brown mare could not remain still for long without letting out a nervous, panicked whinny. Once Malon had calmed her down, mainly through use of her mother's song which Epona loved, she had been able to take care of the many cuts and wounds on the beaten horse. Epona had left as a healthy, proud horse and had returned as a battered, cowering one. Never had she seen the gentle horse so scared in her life. And Epona's fear became Malon's fear quickly.

Malon picked up some pails full of milk, though the milk did not look as good as it once had been, and was thin, just as the animal that had produced it was. Slowly, the animals were withering away despite Malon's attempt to feed them all nutrients. It was as if they had given up the will to live...just as most had in Hyrule. Why try living in a world that you do not belong in, a world that makes you miserable?

Despite her efforts to forget the past, the memories continued to resurface. She remembered cleaning Epona's wounds and being almost incapable of doing so because of how badly her hands were shaking. She remembered wondering where Link was and if he was safe. But, most of all, she remembered the darkness that had conquered the land days after Epona returned. With no hero to fight it, the darkness--the twilight--had entered into Hyrule, striking at the castle first and spreading from there. It also spread from Ordon, where Link had been headed.

Malon had had a suspicion that Link was dead when Epona had ridden back without him; a horse never abandons its beloved rider. Epona was more loyal than even most humans and she never would have left Link unless he was dead. It was the cold, hard truth. Add upon that that she came back wounded and frightened, and Malon's hope that Link _was_ alive diminished considerably.

"Get your head out of the past, Malon," she told herself aloud, fearing that if she simply thought it that it would become buried beneath all her other concerns and worries. "You won't get anything done otherwise. You have to keep going."

The voice that spoke aloud lacked vehemence and, although Malon knew the voice was hers, it was hard to listen to anything it said.

_You have to keep going._

For what? What was there to keep going for anymore? Everyone she'd ever cared about was gone, her animals were disappearing into nothingness, the Ranch was dying, and hope was gone. Hope had resided with Link, and Link was dead by some cruel twist of fate. It was not fair, and Malon had done her fair share of cursing the Godesses for taking away her friend, but in the end, it did nothing to ease the pain.

Malon pushed some dark red curls out of her face, closing her eyes for a moment to calm herself. She had to keep going, because stopping would be giving up. It would also mean she was admitting to herself that Link truly was dead, and this she could not do. Giving up was not an option; Link wouldn't have wanted her to give up.

So, day after day, she continued to drag on. It wasn't by true motivation but more for lack of having nothing else left to do. At the very least she still had Epona, even though the horse seemed considerably different, changed. The farmgirl didn't blame the horse but, instead, sympathized with it. She didn't doubt Link was as important to Epona as he was to her. It was a friendship they all shared. Malon didn't know anyone who could say a bad word about Link; he had been a hero, and everyone respected him. However, her respect went deeper than friendship, though she'd never admit it.

"Where are you, Fairy Boy?" she whispered to herself, as if waiting for her subconcious to come up with a satisfactory reply.

Yet again, there was no reply.

Once she finished her chores, she went to stand on the platform at the top of one of the corner towers that were situated at the edge of the center corral. It was hardly used anymore, for Malon was too busy with chores or her own thoughts to bother climbing up to it. But today, today she needed a break...from her work and her thoughts.

Upon reaching the platform, a gust of wind from the north blew past her, sending chills through her weary body. It was cold, but refreshing and Malon was grateful for it. She had begun to think that she was numb to the world, unable to feel anything but pain and unable to dwell on anything besides regrets of the past. The brisk wind that blew across her pale skin and through her messy hair reminded her what it felt like to be alive, to be able to feel something good, instead of something dreadful.

The wind reminded her of Link. How he constantly was around, and then just as quickly gone...but always brought with him a good feeling, leaving her with good memories as well. How she missed him, how she missed his vivid smile and his mischievious personality. But most of all, she missed the comforting friendship that resided between them. Now, she was alone...and it threatened to consume her.

She took a deep breath, letting the brisk wind attack her senses and soothe her tortured mind. These days, she was willing to find relief in whatever ways it came to her...including through the wind.

_You have to keep going._

And she would keep going, if only to honour Link's memory. Perhaps, in time, she could find the strength within herself to actually help do something to save Hyrule, but that time was not now. After all..she was only a common farmgirl. What could she do to save such a vast realm like Hyrule? Nothing. She was not Link, she was not a hero.

She stretched her arms out towards no where in particular, allowing the wind to wash over her tired body. She could still feel, she was still alive. Her loved ones may be gone, but there was still hope for a better future. There had to be hope...for without it, life was pointless.

_Where are you, Fairy Boy?_

**A/N: **Please review! No flames, please, as they are not necessary nor welcome. Thanks in advance!_  
_


	2. Chapter II

**Author's Notes: **Here's another update, as promised. Thanks to all who've reviewed thus far! I do read every review I get so please read, enjoy, and review!

**Chapter II**

_"Feels like the weight of the world, like all my screaming has gone unheard, and oh, I know you don't believe in me...safe in the dark, how can you see?"_

_--"Weight of the World" by Evanescence_

_Link took a breath. Though he was used to being in the presence of royalty, Princess Zelda to be specific, he had not been to the castle for some time. Its halls, however, were no less majestic and breathtaking as they always had been...reflecting the glory of the Hylian kingdom. With high vaulted ceilings, and long corridors all lined with elaborate paintings and statues, Link could not help but admire the fine decorations and feel almost inferior to the lavish castle. Of course it was he who had protected it all those years ago...though he preferred to be left out of the spotlight as far as credit went; he was a hero to most, but he preferred just being regular Link, a man clothed in an ordinary green colour._

_He shifted uncomfortably, tugging nervously at his tunic. The Hero of Time had always felt uncomfortable walking such sacred halls in such tattered clothes, but had nothing better to wear. His Goron tunic had scorch marks all over it, reminiscent of his last trip to Death Mountain, while his Zora tunic remained wet from the last time he had gone swimming in Lake Hylia. Malon had told him he should've left it out in the sun to dry, but he had shrugged the advice off, too tired--or lazy, as was the case most days--to worry about it. As he stood in front of the massive doors that led into the throne room, he regretted not having listened to Malon._

_A smile slid onto his face, thinking of his best friend. Malon's personality certainly reflected her red hair, as it was fiery and she was passionately dedicated to everything she did. The Ranch, he mused, would never have survived all these years without all the hard work she poured continuously into it. Yet, she never complained...faithfully committed to her ranch and her animals. Of course Talon had owned it when he had been living, but Malon had been the one to have a deep, intimate connection to it. Having been raised since birth on the ranch, it was all she'd ever known. The way she was so devoted to Lon Lon Ranch was remarkable to the Hero of Time, having never seen such dedication before._

_That wasn't to say that Link didn't care for the Ranch just as much as Malon did, because he certainly did, but he just wasn't a part of it to the extent that Malon was. It was, all the same, a very important place to him. Having defeated Ganondorf, Link had been looking forward to the rest of life, uninterrupted by creatures of darkness. However, shortly after beating the King of Evil, Zelda had told him that he was to go back to before he pulled the Master Sword from its pedestal, that he was to go and actually live out his childhood. Shocked, Link had found no words to object or thank her. Even once he returned to the Temple of Time, located now in a Sacred Grove deep within the Kokiri Forest--newly named Faron to shield the Kokiri from outsiders searching for the Hero of Time's old friends--he could still hear Zelda's Lullaby playing in his ears. Having no where else to go, and not wishing to endanger his Kokiri friends who now hid deep within Faron Forest along with the new Great Deku Tree, he headed to the only place that was truly familiar to him._

_Lon Lon Ranch seemed unchanged by time, which made sense since he had returned to before the war on Hyrule had broken out. Its occupants seemed ever so pleased to see him again as well, even Ingo who seemed like a different man ever since that incident with winning Epona from him. How that worked out since it had happened in the future boggled Link's mind, but he decided to pay little heed to it. After all, he had not come here to think about the past--or was it the future?--but to live in the present._

_Malon had been so happy to see him, which, in turn, made Link happy. He enjoyed being wanted, and needed. He didn't care if some claimed he had a large ego because of that, but it simply was the truth. It came natural to him to help someone if they needed it, and being inactive for too long made him uncomfortable. Perhaps it was the blood of the Hero of Time that flowed in him that gave him this attitude, but it was how he was...and he could not help being whom he was. In fact, most--including Malon--enjoyed him just the way he was._

_He remembered how she had insisted that he stay with them, eager for a new playmate and someone to help make the chores around the Ranch a lot more fun. It took him a while to get used to being a child again, after being an adult for so long, but the adjustment was easier due to Malon and her father who treated him as the child he was. He was quite serious at first, always keeping himself busy with work around Lon Lon Ranch, but Malon finally managed to pry the light-hearted child out of him. Soon after resigning to stay at Lon Lon, he was laughing and playing with Malon as if he'd always done so. It was largely thanks to her that he was able to enjoy his childhood, as he should have._

_Of course, things weren't always perfect at the Ranch. He had gotten into quite a few arguments with Malon, the cuccos seemed to have a personal vendetta against him, and Talon continued to make subtle innuendos about him "tying the knot" with Malon, whatever that meant. As a child, he had never understood Talon's strange sense of humour, but it always made Malon blush profusely. Now, as an adult, he understood clearly...but it was clear that they were simply friends, and would never become more than that. Both the farmgirl and hero seemed content with that._

_Breaking himself out of his reminiscing, he noticed a guard approaching, light reflecting off of his polished armor. Link tugged at his tunic a little more; why didn't he have a nice shiny suit of armor?_

_"Princess Zelda is ready to see you now, Sir," the guard told him. "You may enter."_

_Link simply nodded and pushed the gigantic doors open, feeling the slender wood beneath his calloused hands. The throne room, he had to admit, was, by far, one of the most awe-inspiring places in all of Hyrule. It's beauty was nearly unparalleled by anywhere and anything else. A large red carpet was laid out starting from the door that Link had entered and made its way all the way to the steps of the throne where Princess Zelda sat, looking graceful as ever. Above the Princess' head was a large, ornate sculpture of the Triforce with Goddesses dancing along each triangle that made up said Triforce. The alabaster walls shimmered in the morning light, mimicking the shadows that danced along them cast by the flames at the top of each torch that lined the long walkway that led up to the throne, giving the entire room an almost heavenly look. Such was the way Hyrule Castle had been built, though, to reflect the glory of the Goddesses._

_"Link," Zelda smiled warmly, though she held a distant look in her eyes. "I'm glad you came."_

_Link walked forward, towards the throne where she sat. "Of course I came; you said you needed my help."_

_Zelda nodded. "I wish I could have called you here for more pleasant matters, but as it is..." her voice trailed off. She stood now, looking every bit of the Princess she was, her light pink gown swirling around her as she approached Link._

_"Is something wrong, Zelda?" Link queried, noticing the Princess' pallid countenance. Zelda was usually the image of stability and strength, never showing any doubt nor fear even in the midst of despair._

_"Thank you for coming," she whispered, embracing him. When they broke apart, Link noticed just how weary Zelda looked._

_He held her gently by her forearms. "Zelda, please tell me what is bothering you so."_

_Her brilliant blue eyes locked with Link's. "Forgive me for calling you here, Link, I don't mean to disturb you, but I didn't know whom else to turn to..." she paused, continuing more lightly with, "I know you are enjoying life on Lon Lon Ranch. I never would have imagined you a farmer, Link," she commented, her eyes glinting with humour._

_Link smiled faintly, but said nothing, allowing her to continue._

_Zelda expression grew serious. "I have a request of you, a favor, if you will."_

_"Anything," Link replied, almost too eager. Zelda seemed very tired, and anything he could do to lessen her burden, he would be more than happy to do. "Name it."_

_"Always the Hero," Zelda chuckled. "I do have a great deal of respect for you, you must know. So selfless, so courageous...if only I had more knights in my army who were like you, Link."_

_"You flatter me, Princess," Link said, his cheeks heating up mildly._

_"No, I do not; I simply speak the truth," she smiled kindly. "The favor I have to ask, however, may end up being...quite dangerous."_

_"Oh?"_

_"I have been recieving reports from Ordon that no supplies are being able to get through due to some sort of obstacle. I would go myself, but my Father assures me that it wouldn't be appropriate nor safe for the Princess of Hyrule to go investigate such a disturbance, and I tend to agree. My Father is growing older, and if he, Goddesses forbid it, should die, then I will be left to run Hyrule. I cannot risk getting killed myself, as he pointed out," Zelda explained with a soft sigh, trying to keep her tone gentle and not allow any of her feelings seep into it. "This is why I've called you here."_

_"To investigate whatever is blocking the route to Ordon?" Link asked._

_"Yes, but--" she cut off her sentence, striding gracefully over to one of the large windows that overlooked Hyrule field. She shut her eyes, bowing her head ceremoniously for a moment, as if thinking._

_"Zelda."_

_She opened her eyes slowly, bringing them to rest on Link's handsome face. Her eyes looked sad, and her lips were closed tightly together; the expression she wore did not suit the normally jubilant Princess. "I have a bad feeling about this entire thing," she whispered to her long-time friend._

_Link placed a comforting hand on the Princess' shoulder. "I will go."_

_"I knew you would," she placed her hand on his. "That is what worries me."_

_"It is probably no more than thieves who've set up a blockade of sorts," Link assured her. "Nothing a little steel can't handle."_

_Zelda didn't look convinced. "Sometimes, Link, things aren't as simple as they appear...and sometimes, problems cannot be solved with weapons." Zelda walked over and sat back on her throne. "I just...I'm not sure, Link, but something tells me that you are going to find something that will not be pleasing to either of us."_

_Link looked at her curiously, as if searching for the answer to a question written on her lovely face. "You know something." It was a statement, not a question._

_Standing then, Zelda nodded slowly, a bit reluctantly. "I have my suspicions...walk with me, please."_

_The Princess of Destiny then led the Hero of Time down a long, seemingly forgotten, hallway. No windows were present and the ominous corridor was lit by only a few torches that hung off the walls. Link did not question Zelda's motives or intentions, but he didn't doubt that she was blowing the situation out of proportion. After all, when one has lived in peace for so long, the slightest hint of trouble could certainly frighten them._

_"I believe Ganondorf has a hand in all of this," she said suddenly as they walked, side by side, quietly._

_"Ganondorf?" Link asked, stunned. "But--"_

_"The Sages sealed him away, with your help, yes," Zelda interrupted. "But I fear he used the power of the Triforce to his will, allowing him to someone break free of his imprisonment...but it is only a feeling."_

_Link stopped them by walking out into Zelda's path. "Wait, what kind of a feeling?"_

_"The same kind of feeling I had when Ganondorf was trying to enter my Father's service all those years ago," Zelda supplied._

_"Oh."_

_"Yes," Zelda sighed._

_"How long has this...occurence...been going on?" Link asked, trying to take in all the details of his soon-to-be quest._

_"Not for very long," said Zelda quietly. She turned her gaze to Link, after having kept it off of him for a while. "If you do go, please be careful, Link."_

_"I will," Link promised. "But you needn't worry, Princess Zelda," he said, smiling, "If Ganondorf is there, I will be happy to jog his memory of the last time we met on the field of battle..."_

_"Oh, Link, you mustn't!" Zelda cried in alarm. "If there is anything out of the ordinary--and I mean anything--you must come straight back here at once. Are you listening to me, Link? At once. Do not be trying to play Hero."_

_"But, Zelda--" Link began to object._

_"Promise me, Link," Zelda ordered with great vehemence. "Promise me you will not try and play Hero and tackle whatever is out there; promise me you will come straight back and report to me first, so then we may decide--together--what is to be done."_

_"Fine," Link murmured, not at all thrilled at the idea of riding all the way out there and then all the way back, especially if there was something dangerous out there; the people of Ordon could also be in trouble! Perhaps he may stick around to play Hero...if only for a bit, and if only to help out the innocent citizens of Hyrule. He was, after all, the Hero of Time...and it was, after all, in his blood._

_Zelda looked skeptically at her Hero, raising a thin golden eyebrow. "I mean it, Link."_

_"Of course," Link said, bowing. "I take leave of you now, your highness."_

_"Link," Zelda began, her voice soft and vulnerable._

_He shot her a charming smile, one only the Hero of Time could pull off. "Try not to worry, Zelda. I promise to come back in one piece...or several..."_

_"Link!"_

_"Just kidding," he said, raising his arms, chuckling slightly. "Just kidding."_

_Zelda placed her hands on her hips, shaking her head condescendingly at him. "Sometimes, I wonder if you ever grew up, Link."_

_To which he replied with another smile before nearly running out of the throne room, headed back to Lon Lon Ranch to deliver the news of his new quest to Malon._

_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

A blood-curdling howl broke through the deafening silence, awaking the Hero of Time. As his eyes opened, he racked his memory trying to remember where he was and how he got there. Gazing upwards, he noticed no light emanating from the moon, therefore casting the entire forest--including himself--in pitch black shadow. There was no wind, and no familiar sounds of the wilderness as he struggled to stand.

Something was dreadfully wrong, that much he knew. He continued to sift through his memories, searching for the answer to his ever elusive question: where in Nayru's name was he? He thought long and hard, recalling past events leading up to this point...but it seemed like there was a block in his mind and said block was not allowing his much-needed answer to come to him.

He slammed his fist against the nearest tree, only before noticing something extremely odd. He had no hand. In replace of his calloused warrior hands were a pair of soft, furry paws. His eyes widened then as he tried to look the rest of himself over, only to be disappointed by lack of light. What kind of trick was this? Or perhaps it was simply a bad dream, a terrible nightmare.

He frantically looked around his new environment, his senses seemingly heightened as every flicker of movement and tiny sound caught his attention, momentarily distracting him. What was wrong with him? He used to be a very focused fighter, sure his reflexes were quick...but they'd never been _this_ quick. In fact, it was almost as if he wasn't even _human_ anymore.

_Wait a second..._ thought Link as he slowly approached the small spring which he just noticed.

Peering down into the dark water, he only saw a blurry reflection of himself but it was too dark to distinguish anything more than the edges of his face. However, suddenly, the clouds broke overhead, letting some soft moonlight filter down illuminating the dark pool of water and Link's reflection. His eyes widened as he stared into the water, unable to believe what he was seeing.

Starting low but slowly building up into a loud growl, the menacing and blood-curdling howl sounded in the empty forest once again. Link moved his hands--which were no longer hands at all--over his mouth...feeling sharp fangs and a long snout in place of where his thin lips once were.

_"What's happening to me?" _he cried out, but it only ended up sounding like barking.

The truth, however, did not elude Link for very long after that, for the answer to his wretched question was simple: the Hero of Time had been turned into a wolf, a creature of night.

In his despair, he let out another gruesome howl. How could this have happened? He had been so careful! Was this nothing more than a cruel trick of fate caused by the Goddesses? Were Din, Nayru, and Farore angry with him? Had he done something to displease the Goddesses? So many questions with few answers; it was mind-boggling to Link, and it was safe to say that he was panicking.

As the moonlight had cleared away the darkness, it had also cleared his mind; he now could remember how he'd gotten here as well as what had happened. He remembered riding Epona up towards a large black wall that seemingly moved, almost as if it were alive. He remembered being attacked by vicious shadow creatures, beings that were morphed and seemingly invincible. He remembered fighting them as best as he could but every time he slew two, the third would let loose an atrocious cry, bringing the other two back to life. Ultimately, they wore the Hero down and the last thing Link remembered was a massive claw lumbering towards his face...

He shuddered violently. Link plopped himself down on the ground, covering his face with his gentle paws. What was he to do now? He couldn't be much help if he couldn't even wield his sword or shield...speaking of which, where was all his equipment? Even more importantly, where was his faithful steed, Epona? If she was hurt, even a teensy bit, Malon was going to murder him in cold blood. It wasn't an exaggeration either, especially given the memories of the time when Link had accidentally rode into a thicket of thorn bushes, prickling Epona's glorious reddish coat. She had been more or less unscathed, but Malon had nearly gone ballistic on him, accusing him of being inconsiderate.

He frowned, if that were possible for a wolf to do, as he thought back. Was he ever going to see Malon again? Or what about the Ranch...or Zelda? Zelda had entrusted a very important task to him and he had failed her on two accounts: the first being he was supposed to report back to her about what was going on, and the second being that he had "played Hero", as Zelda was fond of calling Link's foolishness. Thinking about it only served to make him more grievous; even if he were to escape this dark forest--Faron Forest, as he now remembered what it was called--how would he communicate to Zelda? Chances were that he'd only be killed on sight if he even attempted to approach the Castle. It was quite the predicament.

"Come to me..."

Link leapt up, his body tense at the sound of the voice as he glared towards the pool of water nearby.

"O brave youth..." the voice continued, and Link warily headed towards the pool of water. "Beware...shadow creatures approach!"

The moment he entered the spring and stepped towards the water, black glowing monoliths came crashing into the soft earth around him, creating a sort of perimeter around the spring, not allowing Link to flee. Soon afterwards, a hazy pink portal opened up above the center of the perimeter, throwing out a strange creature. It was then that Link noticed that it was the same type of creature he had fought before.

He lowered himself towards the ground, instinctively letting out a threatening growl. Perhaps this was a sign from the Goddesses, trying to point him in the right direction...or perhaps, more likely, it was simply more bad luck on his part. The creature was sinewy with pulsating veins of pink in an otherwise flawless black hide, with tendrils protruding from its head, always moving about.

Letting a garbled cry out, the ghoulish creature charged Link, but fortunately he snapped out of his stupor in time to move out of the way. Snarling, he bit at the creature, managing, by some peculiar bit of luck, to use his new, more powerful jaws, to latch onto the creature. Digging his claws in to give himself a steady hold, he bit down even harder, causing the creature a great deal of pain. Furious now, the creature threw Link off of him, tackling the dazed wolf quickly. Link found himself losing consciousness quickly as the creature beat on him...

"O brave youth, do not give up..." the gentle, encouraging voice said out of the darkness, casting a bit of momentary light on the battlefield, stunning the creature who was used to the darkness of the twilight realm.

Link took advantage of this opportunity to finish the beast. Narrowing his eyes, the Hero of Time attacked the confused creature, clamping down hard on its head. It collapsed then, much to Link's relief, and burst into tiny black particles that flew up into the air, forming another portal. Link took a deep breath, trying to steady his rapid heartbeat. That had been too close for his taste.

He took a step forward towards the pool, but his leg gave out, and he fell to the cold, hard ground. However, before darkness overtook him, he felt a mystifying warm glow cover him and lift him towards the water. Wounded, but conscious, Link fell into the water with a splash, the water seemingly to heal his wounds in a miraculous fashion. Once the water had soaked deep into his fur, he shook himself--still trying to get used to his new, abnormal body--and gazed up into a most magnificent sight.

Appearing above the small pool of water was a lustrous, gleaming being that embodied a goat but glowed with an inner light, nearly blinding Link. Never had he seen anything as beautiful as this being of light. It looked over to him, an almost kind look on its heavenly face. Link dropped his gaze instinctively, feeling somewhat shamed in the presence of such an amazing being.

"O brave youth," began the being gently, almost as if it were in awe of Link...if that were possible. "I am Ordona, the spirit of light and guardian of the land of Ordona...and you are the Blue-Eyed Beast, the one who has lost his way temporarily."

Link looked up at the light spirit now, curious as to what it knew. _"What do you know?"_ He didn't expect a response for he was speaking in the tongue of animals now.

"I know many things; things of the past, things of the present...and things that have not yet come to pass," Ordona replied, surprising Link. "What is it you wish to know, Brave Youth?"

_"How did this happen to me?"_ Link asked.

"If you are referring to turning into the Blue-Eyed Beast you are, then my answer to you is this: you are the Chosen One of the Gods, it is due to this that you did not simply become a shadow as the rest of Hyrule has--"

_"Wait--what?! What has happened to Hyrule?" _Link's tone was panicked as he thought about those he cared for being subject to an unknown and terrible fate.

The spirit of light paused, remaining silent. "Perhaps I should begin from the beginning."

_"It would certainly help,"_ Link murmured quietly, which sounded like muffled barks.

"As you know, I am a spirit of light...however, what you do not know is that I am simply one of four. My brethren, unfortunately, have already succumbed to the darkness caused by the twilight. One by one, their power over light was taken...and the kingdom was cast into a netherworld of darkness, of endless twilight as you have observed briefly. Creatures such as the one you fought roam the land, and Hyrule is not as it once was," Ordona explained slowly.

_"And...what of Princess Zelda...and the King of Hyrule?" _he dared to ask, fearful of the answer.

"The Triforce the Princess of Destiny bears has protected her; as yours turned you into a wolf. If you had not had the Triforce of Courage, you would have turned into a spirit, condemned to walk Hyrule ignorant of your lifelessness," the light spirit told him. "Additionally, those who are already the shadows of Hyrule have been mildly affected by this curse of twilight. They will continue to protect the Hylian Royal Family, as they always have, nearly unaffected by this dreadful darkness."

Link was having a difficult time following all this, so he simply nodded in false comprehension. _"What of the rest of Hyrule? Is it trapped in this dark twilight as well?"_

"I am afraid so," Ordona replied.

Link inhaled sharply. _Malon_. His best friend could be in a great deal of danger...and was he there to protect her as he promised he would? No, he was trapped in a Goddess-forsaken forest.

"O brave youth, do not become discouraged by all that transpires around you; there is still hope," Ordona made a point of enunciating the word hope, for the being saw how forlorn Link was looking. "You will be able to save your friends, but you must first restore light to all of the spirits of light...as you do so, more power will return to the Triforce and the Princess of Destiny will be able to return you to your original form, if that is your desire."

Letting out a sigh, which sounded more of a sad growl, Link queried, _"Where must I go first?"_

If it was possible, the spirit smiled then, looking towards Faron Forest. "Free my brethren, Faron, Eldin, and Lanayru. Begin with reviving Faron and you will be able to pass into Hyrule Field, and from there you must seek out the holder of the Triforce of Wisdom; everything will be explained from there. Good luck, Blue-Eyed Beast."

Link began to ask about something but the light spirit disappeared back into the pool of water. Link shook his head, having a great many doubts about being able to accomplish this quest to save Hyrule. He was still not used to his new canine body, and he had no weapons except for his fangs and claws...and those didn't compare to a bow or hookshot for long-range. It was safe to say that the Hero of Time believed himself to be thoroughly doomed.

Glancing once more towards the peaceful pool, Link began to head off into the thicket known to most simply as Faron Forest, beginning his new quest to, once again, save his beloved home of Hyrule.

**A/N: **Review or Link will give you sad puppy-dog eyes.


	3. Chapter III

**Author's Notes: **I am terribly sorry for how long it's taken me to update. I really have no good excuse other than I'm lazy and I didn't want to update until I was completely in the mood. Better a good, long wait for an excllent chapter than a short wait for a crappy one, right? Anyway, here's the next chapter, so I hope you enjoy! Please review, as well! The flashbacks are in no particular order as well, and I know that some things may still not make sense to you, but I promise it'll all come together in due time!

**Chapter III**

_"How wild the mountains stare as they guard our everyday. Take for granted noble hearts in the golden age that's flown."_

_--"Of This Land" by Clannad_

_Malon hummed to herself as she went about her daily chores. It was morning, and the sun was chasing away the departing night, bringing with it a gentle cacophony of sounds and the warmth of the encroaching morning sun. The wind was playing a soothing melody through the long grass that covered most of Lon Lon Ranch, while the birds joined in with their chorus of chirps and tweets. It was on days such as these that Malon thoroughly enjoyed living in such an idyllic little farm, away from the bustling noises of the town and free to appreciate the small things that nature offered every morning._

_She swayed as she walked, mirroring the movements of the grass, her hands clutching two large, empty buckets. Living on a farm was not all rest and relaxation, however, and while Talon frequently ignored that fact, Malon had taken it upon herself to help Ingo out every morning. Despite her youth, Malon possessed a passion to help others and her fire-red hair seemed to reflect her inner devotion quite accurately. It was an undeniable fact that Malon was determined to make something of herself, to prove her worth not only to others, but also to herself._

_Finally arriving at her destination, which was the barn, Malon set down the buckets she was carrying beside a large cow. She then grabbed a stool and seated herself beside the calm animal. The young girl had formed an attachment to all the animals, unlike Ingo who despised the "smelly and dirty things" as he frequently put it. Life was usually unexciting at the farm, and with no friends to play with, Malon had to entertain herself the best she could...and that constantly meant caring for the horses, cows, and cuccos, her only friends. It was not that people did not want to play with Malon, for she was a lively child, but it was because Lon Lon Ranch was so isolated from the rest of Hyrule, being set in the midst of the vast Hyrule Field, far away from Kakariko Village, and even farther from Castle Town._

_However, instead of balking at her plight, Malon accepted being the only child on an isolated ranch, and found lots of ways to have fun. Though, she thought, she would never mind having a friend...someone she could play with, share secrets and stories with, and just have fun with. Until that day arrived, she would keep hoping, waiting, and keeping her spirits high._

_"How are you doing this morning, Buttermilk?" Malon asked the placid creature as she pushed the bucket beneath the cow's utters._

_The cow replied with an unintelligible moo, and Malon petted it in response._

_"I'll take that as a good," she giggled as she began to milk the cow._

_Nearby, Ingo scoffed at the girl's sanguine attitude. The ranch-hand and the farm girl did not see eye to eye on many things. This was not because they had differing opinions on most things; it was more that Ingo was a disagreeable fellow who seemed to prefer arguments as opposed to peaceful conversations. He also looked down on Malon because of her age, and that had never sat well with the girl. She might be young, but she considered herself far wiser beyond her years and her father, Talon, agreed with this as well._

_Malon didn't bother to glance up and look at the condescending man, continuing to focus on her work, still humming as she did so. She had inherited natural vocal talent from her deceased mother. She didn't know this for fact, only by what her father told her. She was too young to remember her mother well, and the only things she did remember were fragments of different memories mixed together which made it hard for her to distinguish anything about her mother. According to Talon, she was "the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, with eyes as deep as the sea, and hair as bright as fire". From that description, the young girl had painted her mother to be this larger than life figurehead, giving her mother certain attributes that she had thought fitting...and then she strived to be like her in every aspect of life._

_Talon was proud of his little girl and Malon knew this for he would tell her so every chance he got. Most times it would be in the middle of an argument with Malon, where she was reprimanding him on his laziness. Any mention of the pride the farm owner felt for his beloved daughter was enough to make Malon blush and forget why she was scolding her lethargic parent in the first place. She had a steadfast relationship with her father, despite their startling differences, and she could not imagine a life without him. Or, at the very least, a life worth living without him. After all, he was the only other person on the farm that Malon could really talk to--excluding Ingo, of course--since while the animals were good listeners, they could scarcely have a real conversation with her._

_As soon as she was finished with the milking, Malon took the contents of the now-full buckets and began to pour them into small bottles that would be packaged up and shipped to towns everywhere: Kakariko, Castle Town, Zora's Domain, Ordon, and many others. Lon Lon Ranch was famous for their deliciously healthy milk, and lands all over Hyrule were in constant demand of the liquid, which allowed their small little farm to prosper._

_"Malon." Ingo's voice broke her silent reverie. "Take the horses out into the field, will you?"_

_The girl looked at him with a questioning glance. "I'm busy, Mr. Ingo. Why can't you do it?"_

_The ranch-hand lifted his head into the air ever so slightly, sniffing once as if the answer was obvious. "It is not my job."_

_"You were hired to help--"_

_"On the contrary, Miss Malon," Ingo replied quickly, almost snapping at her. "My job was to make sure things got done around the farm, and that is exactly what I am doing."_

_Malon sighed. She hadn't finished packaging all the milk, and they were slated to make a delivery to Kakariko today. "But, Mr. Ingo, I--"_

_The man looked at her with a threatening gaze, and warned, "do not make me speak to Talon about your...laziness."_

_She furrowed her brows for a moment, her small face wrinkling up in thought, as she focused her azure eyes on the dusty floor. "Okay, Mr. Ingo."_

_Standing, Malon quickly went over to the opposite side of the elongated barn, opening up one of the side panels to allow the horses into the field and corral. She unlocked the small, wooden gates and began to usher the horses--or rather ponies since they were all still quite young foals save for a few--outside. After a few moments, all of the beautiful creatures were outdoors and enjoying all the wonders the morning had to offer them...all except for one small pony in the back of the stables._

_"Epona," Malon chided, approaching the horse slowly. "What are you doing back there? You should be outside with your friends!"_

_The horse neighed in response, kicking up some dust as it stomped its hooves on the straw-laden floor. Compared to the other horses, Epona stuck out like a sore thumb. Her coat was a rich mahogany colour with a snow-white mane, and she was also the smallest of all the horses. These small differences were enough to make Epona Malon's favourite out of the bunch. Additionally, the foal was easily startled and not easily befriended. In fact, she had taken a great dislike to both Ingo and her father._

_"Get that cucco outta here!" Ingo barked. "The thing's kicking up a dust storm in here!" And then he sneezed as if to prove his point._

_"Don't talk so loud," she replied in a quieter tone. "You're going to spook her."_

_"Well, excuse me!" Ingo harrumphed before stalking out of the barn, no doubt to go complain to anyone else who would listen to him._

_"There, he's gone," Malon said to Epona as she approached her further. "Ready to come out, now?"_

_Epona snorted in response._

_The ember-haired girl placed her hands on her hips. "Oh, be a good horse and go outside!"_

_As if in purposeful defiance, the horse turned away from the young girl._

_Malon eyed the creature warily. "Fine, stay in here then." She paused before adding, "but then you won't hear your song."_

_Then she turned her back to Epona, trusting that the remarkably intelligent creature would dislike the thought of being alone in the barn and missing Malon's mother's song, which Epona seemed to love._

_Her wager paid off, for no more than a few seconds after she turned her back to the young mare, she felt a gentle nudge on her elbow, and turned to find Epona looking at her with an almost comically apologetic look. Hugging her, she then led the horse outside to join the others. Immediately trying to show off, Epona pranced around the large corral, causing Malon to laugh._

_After closing the barn, the girl rushed out onto the field to play with her favourite horse, and her best friend. Epona may not have been human, but she still possessed many characteristics that were very human-like, and Malon loved the horse dearly. Epona was sometimes the only thing that she could talk to, her father rarely understanding her--or willing to really listen, most of the time preferring to take a nap--and Ingo didn't care a lick about anything except for himself. She wasn't sure if the horse understood her or not, but that didn't matter on those lonely days when all Malon wanted and needed was a good friend._

_The sun had risen to a good height, and the farm was alive and buzzing with life. The warm air felt good, but it was the combination of the warm air and the steady breeze that caused a delightful contrast across Malon's bare skin. Malon was perfectly content with everything on that farm in that instant. So much so, that she couldn't help opening her mouth and singing a little._

_Upon hearing the song, Epona trotted over to Malon, and this seemed to encourage Malon to sing louder. Her voice escalated and descended in a melodic rhythm with the song she was singing, and she swayed with the music as her hair was caught in the wind, billowing out around her face like a silhouette. She felt free...and happy. Every time she sang the song, she felt closer to her mother, and that feeling made her feel as if she belonged. In all honesty, it contented her._

_"You have a pretty voice," a voice said suddenly, startling her._

_She swung around to see a young blonde-haired boy with funny, green clothes. A small blue orb of light seemed to float around him, buzzing to and fro almost like a bee. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "It's the fairy boy again!"_

_"I'm sorry if I scared you," he apologized, shuffling his feet for a moment._

_She grinned. "No, you just surprised me is all. We don't get many visitors, and I didn't expect to see you again!"_

_Satisfied that he wasn't interrupting, Link smiled. "I was in the neighborhood."_

_"How did you like the castle? Did you see the Princess?" The questions seemed to tumble out of Malon's mouth before she could stop them. "I'm sorry! You must be tired from your trip, and I'm attacking you with all these questions! It's awfully silly of me. Hee hee!"_

_Link watched her with a curious gaze, while Navi fluttered impatiently around him. "No, no, it's fine," he assured her. "The castle was...nice. And the Princess was...uhm, nice."_

_A giggle escaped Malon's lips. "You met the Princess inside the castle and all you can say was that they were nice?"_

"_Yes?"_

_She giggled more loudly._

_Link began to grow more nervous, not understanding what was so funny. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the ground, finding it suddenly vastly more entertaining than the silly redheaded girl who continued to laugh at him. Link decided he had to say something, or he was going to go crazy with embarrassment._

"_They were...very nice?" Link tried again, thinking the extra adjective might help._

_It didn't. "Oh, Fairy Boy, you're so silly!"_

_The Kokiri boy felt as if it were stifling hot outside, as his cheeks began to heat up, unbidden. Perhaps this girl just possessed an eclectic sense of humour, one he could not--nor wanted to--understand._

_Malon watched Link's facial expressions, and noticed almost instantly that she'd embarrassed him. Ashamed at her behaviour, she bit her lip and looked away. She wasn't used to having company, and she really hadn't meant to offend her newfound friend. Maybe this was the Goddesses' way of saying that she was meant to be alone? Perhaps this conversation was just further proof that she didn't belong with anyone except her animals, which were beginning to look more and more like her only friends._

"_I'm sorry," she whispered, looking at the floor. "I didn't mean to embarrass you."_

_Her quiet, almost reverent tone caused Link to look at her. Suddenly, he felt as if he were in the wrong again. This girl was making him feel right, wrong, and everything in between...and he was both flustered and curious about it._

_Link gave her a friendly smile. "Hey, no harm done."_

_Malon looked back up, her radiant blue eyes sparkling with a hope that Link didn't understand. "Really?"_

"_Sure!"_

_Her smile seemed to sparkle like the nighttime stars. "Oh, good." Relief was evident in her voice and composure as she relaxed._

_Suddenly, both their attentions were drawn away from one another to an ember-coated horse out in the pasture that neighed loudly, as if to garner their attention. Malon realized then that Epona didn't want to be left out, but was too nervous to approach them, especially since she'd never seen or met Link before._

"_Oh yeah! I have to introduce you to my friend, Fairy Boy," Malon told him, albeit a bit excitedly. "She's this horse, and her name's Epona."_

_At the sound of her name, the timid creature slowly made its way to Malon's side where Malon could pet her reassuringly. "Isn't she cute?" she asked Link._

_Link eyed the creature suspiciously. He wasn't overly fond of horses, especially after his reoccurring nightmare of being nearly trampled by a dark one with an even shadier rider._

_Forcing a smile, he replied, "uh, yeah. Cute."_

_The red-haired girl raised a slender ember eyebrow. "Don't tell me you're afraid of horses!"_

"_Of course not!" Link defended indignantly. Attempting to prove his words true, he approached Epona to stroke her thick mane, but the young filly withdrew from both him and Malon, neighing almost violently...which startled Link almost to the point where he drew his blade._

"_It seems Epona is afraid of you, Fairy Boy," Malon giggled, looking at the frightened horse and then to the nervous boy. "And I think you're just as afraid of her."_

"_Am not!" cried the Kokiri boy._

"_Yes, you are!" Malon accused, still giggling. "But don't worry, Link, Epona's friendly...she's just wary of strangers."_

"_Oh."_

"_So, you can let go of your sword."_

_Link hadn't realized he was holding the hilt of his blade until she mentioned it, and then he quickly let his hand drop to his side, feeling his cheeks heat up once more. He chuckled nervously to throw off some of the tension in the air. Malon seemed all the more amused though, but he still wasn't completely sure why. This girl was strange, indeed._

"_Before, you were singing," Link said abruptly, trying to change the topic. "What song was that?"_

_Malon was all too happy to answer. "It was a song that my mother used to sing to me."_

_  
"It's very...nice." Link realized then that he did not have a very creative mind._

"_Thank you," she replied. "Would you like to learn it?"_

_Link didn't know it, but Malon was taking a chance asking him if he wanted to learn her most beloved song. That song had magical properties, she was sure, and it was a part of who she was. In a sense, she was opening herself up to him, becoming vulnerable. She knew she shouldn't be so forward, but it was in her nature...she'd never been good at hiding things, especially feelings. She didn't doubt that she inherited that from both her parents._

"_I'd love to, but..." Link began to writhe his hands together, before noticing what he was doing...and once he did notice, he shoved them into his pockets. "I can't sing."_

_Malon smirked. "That's okay, I--"_

_"Wait," Link interrupted, feeling his hand brush against something smooth in his pocket. He realized what it was and brought it out to show Malon._

"_Oh, cute ocarina!" She grinned._

_This time, he smiled too, finally feeling as if he'd done something right. "Will this work?"_

"_Mhm! Just follow my lead, okay?"_

_Link nodded in agreement._

_Malon opened her mouth then, allowing the music that resided deep in her soul echo outwards until it manifested itself into physical sound, producing a beautiful sound that surprised Link at first. For someone so young, Malon had a voice that he thought best belonged to an angel or a Goddess. He placed his mouth on the ocarina and began to imitate her elaborate song, catching on quickly to the subtleties of it. Soon, they were in perfect harmony with one another, and the music that was produced was unlike any that Malon had ever heard._

_In simplest terms, it was beautiful._

_After a few moments, they stopped, and it was silent for a moment before Epona let out a soft whinny and bravely galloped over to Link, nudging him lovingly. At first, this startled Link but then he realized the horse was not a threat, and he petted it in return, his tension slowly melting away._

"_She's grown fond of you, Fairy Boy," commented Malon._

_Link seemed pleased with himself as his blue eyes found hers and he smiled. _

_It was then that Malon realized her prayers for a friend had been answered._

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

The sounds of fighting echoed across Hyrule Field until startling Malon out of her restless slumber. Immediately she gasped, as if taking her very first breath. She felt lighter, as if a heavy weight had been removed from her shoulders, and it felt as if she were truly alive once more. She leapt out of bed and ran over to the windows, throwing the curtains open. To her great surprise and pleasure, sunlight flooded inside her small room.

Malon shielded her eyes against the rays, but allowed them to wash across her body, as if cleansing her of the tainted twilight that had seemingly disappeared from the sky. Her gaze traveled across the ranch, noticing how everything seemed to come alive and return to how it once was. A symphony of animal sounds reached her ears, and Lon Lon Ranch seemed to awaken from the sleep that had been forced upon it. Looking farther, her eyes traveled across the field outside of the ranch, and she noticed the evil glow of twilight pervading the Castle as well as the Eldin province to the East. It seemed that only the Faron and Ordona provinces were free of the disturbing twilight.

A gruesome howl suddenly shattered the silence, and Malon nearly cringed at the pain in it. With the departure of the twilight, Malon's strength of mind seemed to be renewed and before she knew it, she was heading towards the stable. As soon as she entered, sounds that she had not heard for too long reached her ears and it almost brought tears to her eyes. The cows were mooing, the cuccos squawking, and the horses were neighing with passion. The cacophony of sounds brought back pleasant memories for Malon and hope seemed to continue clinging on within her heart. Perhaps this was the first step into a better world, a world without fear and menacing twilight.

She quickly unlocked the low, wooden gate that Epona was behind, and touched the creature gently. She bowed her long head, snorting Malon away, but Malon wasn't about to be dissuaded. Out of all the animals, Epona seemed to be the most withdrawn, and she couldn't help but wonder if the horse blamed herself for losing Link. Epona's love for her previous rider was well known--in fact, Epona trusted Link almost as much as she did Malon which was surprising for such a distrustful horse--and Malon didn't doubt that Epona felt some of the blame and shame of Link's death...for Link had to be dead if this dreadful twilight was allowed to exist. Malon knew her friend, and Link would not allow this atrocity to take place unless he was gone.

"Epona, please," Malon began, approaching the hardheaded animal again. "I need your help."

There was no reply, as Epona seemed to simply gaze at her.

Malon rested her hand on the animal's snout. "I miss him as much as you, but he wouldn't want us to just waste away, would he?"

Epona raised her head hesitantly as if in recluctant agreement.

"That's better."

She then proceeded to saddle the creature, and then mounted her. Malon grabbed a pitchfork in case she needed to defend herself and Epona, and then they galloped off outside of the safety of Lon Lon Ranch into the dangerous open fields of Hyrule.

It did not take the horse and its rider long to come across the battle that had been taking place that morning. The grass was severed indiscriminately, while the shrieks of creatures that Malon could not place echoed through the chilly air. They were closer to Kakariko village now, and the air already seemed different, heavier. It did not take more than a few moments for her to recognize what was taking place.

Before her were several flying creatures that looked like giant, bony birds. And on the ground was a wolf with dark fur and strange grayish markings with the bluest eyes that Malon had ever seen an animal possess. The wolf was fighting viciously with the birds, but it was outnumbered and disadvantaged for it could not reach its attackers whom hovered just above the ground and out of reach of the canine's nasty bite. The animal's breathing was irregular, Malon noticed, and it seemed to be tiring quickly...but it refused to give up. Upon closer inspection of the battlefield, she also noticed several disfigured creatures that looked almost borderline humanoid laying, dead, in the dry grass...no doubt having been previously dispatched by the wolf.

Malon clicked her tongue, ushering Epona closer to the action. The wolf was too busy trying to fend off the bird-like creatures, or Kargaroks, as they were known as in legend, to notice the woman on the horse. However, one of the Kargaroks noticed Malon and immediately alerted its brethren to her presence, and they immediately streaked towards her, letting out loud cackling sounds. It startled Epona but she held her ground upon Malon's insistence.

With the Kargaroks distracted, the wolf was able to take a moment to catch its breath. It was then it seemed to notice the red-haired woman upon the ember-coloured horse, pitchfork in her hand as she thrust and struck at the attacking Kargaroks. With the creatures' backs to the wolf, the wolf took the opportune moment to deliver several deadly jump attacks, landing on one of the backs of a flying creature and digging its claws in to hold on. Malon continued to swat at the other two while the wolf sank its fangs into the weak flesh of the creature repeatedly. With the added weight of the wolf, the creature sank to the ground before disappearing in a flash of black that soared into the sky.

Malon let out a garbled scream as the Kargaroks she'd been fighting lunged at her, one knocking her off of Epona onto the cold, hard ground. Her head slammed against the muddied grass, but she managed to retain consciousness as she stood, her makeshift weapon still in her hand. She thrust it, propelling the weapon through one of the creatures with all her body weight, until it mimicked the departure of the first creature. Now, the odds were evened out.

Instead of attacking Malon, the wolf seemed almost intent on protecting her. Malon could only assume that she'd earned the creature's loyalty--or, at the very least, help--by coming to its rescue. The fiery woman ran towards the last Kargarok, intent on skewing it like its previous companion, but it turned abruptly, knocking its large wings into her arm, causing her pitchfork to go flying. Malon stared in horror at the thing as it came towards her...and she was now defenseless.

Suddenly, the wolf let out an intimidating bark and leapt onto the back of the creature, pinning it to the ground. The wolf's blue eyes looked almost pleadingly to Malon and she rushed towards her fallen weapon, grabbing it up and then thrusting it down into the head of the bony bird, sending it along to meet its brethren and maker.

Then she collapsed to the ground, quite weary. It had been a long time since Malon had been forced to exert herself. Her daily chores had always seemed like a burden, but they had been nothing compared to this fight. She suddenly remembered the wolf, and glanced over at it suspiciously, wondering if it would turn on her now that the threat against it was gone, and she was weak.

However, it did no such thing, collapsing to the ground as well and closing its eyes. After a few moments to catch her breath, Malon stood and bravely ventured over to her battered companion. It was obvious to her that the wolf was wounded terribly by several deep gouges on its neck and forelegs. She could only surmise that it'd been ambushed with little time to react to the onslaught of attacks it was forced to deal with. Slowly and carefully, she leaned next to it, touching it delicately to show that she was no threat. It responded by opening its eyes and looking at her with a pitiful expression.

Malon ran her hand over the smooth coat of the creature reassuringly. "You're safe now," she told it in a quiet voice.

It rested its head on the ground, growling lowly.

The farm girl whistled for Epona, and the horse trotted over warily, looking at the wolf with mild interest. "I'm going to help you, okay?" Malon told it. "So, don't get any ideas about biting me."

The wolf seemed to snort at that, and then looked at her, raising a nonexistent brow at her. For a moment, Malon was reminded of Link...but then shook her head to rid her thoughts of her lost friend. Link was gone, and thinking about him only caused her a deep ache inside, and she wouldn't be able to continue living if she kept dwelling on the past.

It was difficult, but Malon managed to lift the wolf onto the back of Epona--much to the horse's disapproval--and then mounted the already-laden animal, petting the wolf who had already slipped into unconsciousness behind her. She had saved the animal's life, and likewise, it had saved hers. She believed that it deserved some help, mainly because it would die in the wild otherwise, too weak to fight any further. Such a magnificent animal did not deserve such an untimely death.

"All right, Epona," Malon breathed. "Let's go home."

_A/N: Please review as reviews are like the bread and water for authors! Without them, we can't survive!_


	4. Chapter IV

**Author's Notes: **Thank you so much to my faithful readers and reviewers! Your reviews mean the world to me! As promised, here's the next chapter to _Cross My Heart_, and it's one of my personal favourites thus far so I hope you enjoy. As always, please review!

**EDIT:** I editted the ending of the chapter a bit so make sure you read the new ending. Sorry about that.

**Chapter IV**

_"Don't give up. It's just the hurt that you hide when you're lost inside. I...I will be there to find you."_

_--"You Are Loved (Don't Give Up)" by Josh Groban_

_Thunder and lightning crackled overhead while a determined horse bearing a single rider made its way as quickly as it was able to across the immense Hyrule Fields. The ground was damp and had become like treacherous sinking sand, loose in some places and sturdy in others, causing the horse to stumble through its challenging journey. The rain beat down upon the weary creature and wounded rider relentlessly, as if daring them to continue, to take another step towards their fate._

_A flash of lightning streaked across the darkened sky, silhouetting the rider upon the horse and illuminating the moist grasslands around them. They looked as if they had come out of a foreboding legend: a soulless rider upon an undead steed, headed towards Hell itself. _

_Epona trudged on despite the aches and pains that shot like arrows throughout her beaten and exhausted body. The horse was bent on seeing her rider to a safe haven where he could receive treatment for his wounds. The rider groaned as Epona's hoof got caught in the sticky mud and she nearly toppled over. However, she managed to remain steady, and continued onwards. The animal had no choice for, in its mind, it had to protect the rider that it loved...and Epona was nothing if not stubborn. She would die trying to get her rider to help if need be._

_With every jolt and bump, Link's pain seemed to intensify tenfold. He thought it almost ironic that the one time he was without a red potion or any other means to rejuvenate himself...would be the one time that he needed it desperately. The rainwater that beat down upon himself and Epona only helped to cause a stinging sensation in his open cuts and scrapes. While Link was often fond of rain, after this experience--if he even lived through it--he knew that if he never saw another rain drop as long as he lived, it would be too soon._

_He knew Epona was trying to be careful and keep steady through the uneven ground, but she continued to jostle him regardless, causing him more pain. The agony that his body was being subject to was a combination of open wounds and an infection that had been, no doubt, festering in aforementioned wounds for the past few days. However, being trapped in the Fire Temple, there was little he could do but press on. And he had. But the moment he had finished restoring order to Death Mountain, the fever that had been threatening to explode finally did just that, and crippled him severely. Unfortunately, this occurred just after he'd been headed towards Zora's Domain, leaving him too far away from Kakariko. It was safe to say that if it weren't for Epona's timely arrival, Link would have been a goner._

_Stumbling once more, Link grew even more skeptical that he would survive this. With one arm covering his raw abdomen, he could feel the blood seeping through his fingertips. The sticky liquid made him feel ill, almost dizzy...or was that simply the blood loss? His brain was too muddled to formulate a logical thought, let alone provide him with an answer. On his forehead, there was a small gash that matched the rest of the nicks on his face, but those were all superficial wounds that would heal with time. The most prominent wound was where the most blood was coming from: his abdomen._

_Thinking back momentarily, he reflected that it was not smart to fight a dragon without the proper equipment. That was Link's first mistake. And it was even more ridiculous to stare over a pit of lava to await said dragon. That was his second, and practically fatal mistake. Volvagia, the vicious dragon that Link had been forced to fight and kill, had taken advantage of Link's ill preparation and bad strategy, and had aimed directly at him. While the Hero of Time was agile, he was not quick enough to dodge the deadly attack, and Volvagia's teeth had raked across his stomach._

_He shook his head. He did not want to remember that battle, nor that temple either. Dwelling on the Fire Temple only made his thoughts return to the voracious fever that seemed to be cooking him from the inside out. This was not how he wanted to die: from a fever. It was painful but above all else, embarrassing. He could see Ganondorf bragging to his minions about how the great Hero of Time had been killed by a simple fever. If it came to that, at least he could be thankful that he was dead...so he didn't have to endure the humiliation._

_Suddenly, much to Link's relief, a structure seemed to loom up in the near distance. He recognized the familiar wooden fence that encircled the small house and stable, protecting its inhabitants, and he knew where Epona was taking him._

_"Good horse," he murmured, his voice dry and cracking despite how cold and wet it was outside._

_The horse trotted up to the gate that led into Lon Lon Ranch, and found it to be wide open, much to Link's surprise and relief. Now on more stable ground, Epona used her last vestiges of strength to bring Link up to the doorway of the small house. Due to the warm light coming from the cracks around the windows and door, Link knew that its occupants were still awake. Having lost track of time, Link didn't know whether it was the afternoon or early in the morning...and the sky was too overcast with rain clouds to provide a solid guess._

_Practically falling off Epona, Link slid his feet to the ground, feeling just how weak he was for the first time. His legs barely held him up, forcing him to clutch at the side of the house just to keep upright. With what little energy he had left, he knocked on the door. At first, there was no response and Link thought that he might just die on Malon's front step. Now, that would be embarrassing._

_But soon, he heard muffled voices and then footsteps approach the door. A clear voice called, "who's there?"_

_Link recognized the voice and immediately felt a little better. "Link."_

_The door swung open rapidly, and if Malon hadn't caught him, Link would have fallen to the ground, his last reserves of strength finally giving out. "Link!" she cried out, helping support him. "What happened? You look awful!"_

_He gave her a crooked grin. "Nice to see you, too, Malon."_

_His head drooped, unable to keep it steady and Malon helped him inside. "Dad! Ingo!" she called, her voice echoing through the confines of the well-lit house. "Hold on, Link," she told him._

_Malon helped Link over to the nearest couch, laying him gently down on it. Link could tell when she noticed how serious his wounds were for her eyes widened a little and she elicited a small gasp despite herself. It was not a surprise to have to patch up the Hero of Time, for Link found himself frequently returning to Lon Lon Ranch with a few extra bruises and cuts...nothing serious. The red-haired woman always seemed eager to help bandage any wounds, too, but the concern he saw in her face was unlike any he'd seen before making him wonder just how severe his wounds were...and if he'd live through them._

_"Goddesses, Link," she whispered more to herself than to him as she rushed to the kitchen to retrieve a glass of water and medicine._

_Just as she returned, Talon clomped down the stairs from his room, Ingo in tow. They both did double takes when they saw the battered hero lying on the couch, practically writhing in pain now. Both the rancher and the farm hand then looked to Malon who returned quickly to Link's side._

_"Drink this," she ordered, helping tilt his head back so he could swallow the liquid._

_It tasted awful and he nearly spat it out, but even his gag reflex wasn't functioning well. When the body was in serious trouble, it prioritized...focusing on the gaping scratches on Link's stomach rather than how nasty the liquid tasted. As soon as it slid down his throat, he began to feel a little better._

_Malon brushed some wet strands of blonde hair out of Link's flushed face, and then her gaze immediately shot to the two men on the stairway. "Well? Don't just stand there! Come, help!"_

_Her sharp voice seemed to break them out of their temporary trance, and they both rushed to gather things that they'd need: mainly towels, bandages, and some medicinal herbs. Malon remained by Link's side while she ordered her father and Ingo about, making sure that they got what they would need. She may have been the youngest on the ranch, but she was a take-charge sort of person, and when she was focused on a task, it got done to the best of her abilities...and Link was immensely thankful for that._

_The Hero of Time noticed how Malon was looking at him, with worry and confusion. He hadn't seen her for more than a week, being trapped inside that Goddess-forsaken temple, and then he suddenly shows up on her doorstep a bleeding mess? He couldn't blame her for her uncertainty and concern._

_"Hey, Malon, I learned something," he began._

_Her hazy blue eyes watched him, and Link could see the anguish in them. "What, Link?"_

_He forced a smile and chuckle, though it pained him to do so. "Dragons are not nice."_

_"You fought a dragon?!"_

_He recognized the reprimanding tone in her voice. He should tell her the truth. "Uhm...no?" He decided lying was better in this case._

_"Link!" She frowned. "You could have gotten killed!"_

_"If it helps, I almost did."_

_Malon bit her lip to keep from saying more, but Link knew that she was angry with him for her cheeks were heating up. She placed the wet towel that Talon had retrieved on Link's forehead, allowing the cold water in it to soak into Link's skin and help ease the heat of his fever. She then forced him to swallow more of the noxious liquid from before. If Link wasn't close to dying, he knew he'd refuse the stuff...because he practically was refusing it now._

_The woman's hand moved deftly as she began to wrap some of Link's superficial wounds with cloth bandages. Occasionally, she'd accidentally touch a sensitive part on Link's aching body, but he'd keep quiet...after all, she was already upset with him, and his life was in her hands. He thought it best not to bite the hand that feeds him._

_While Malon seemed to be focused on her work, he could feel her eyes continually glancing at him, though he averted his own gaze each time to avoid causing his friend any discomfort. He noticed that she became a lot more embarrassed around him a lot easier since they'd become adults. He wasn't entirely sure why, either._

_"You should be more careful," Malon cautioned in such a quiet voice that Link almost didn't hear her._

_"I know."_

_She sighed, pausing for a moment. Link thought he saw her hands trembling, but he pawned it off on the fact that he was extremely tired. "That's not good enough, Link."_

_He frowned, furrowing his golden brows. "Malon--"_

_"You can't keep doing this, Link." Her voice was escalating in volume now, and Link knew he was in for it now. "You can't keep running into danger with total disregard for yourself."_

_"It's my job," was his pathetic reply._

_"A job?" Malon frowned, shaking her head._

_She then grew deathly quiet, and had it not caused him pain to do, he would have shifted where he lie due to the awkwardness of the moment. He didn't understand why it bothered Malon so much that he do what was requested of him. Didn't she understand that this was what he had to do...that he had no choice in the matter? But most importantly..._

_"Why do you care?" The question tumbled out of Link's mouth before he could stop it._

_Malon's stare turned cold and disbelieving as she looked upon him. "What?"_

_Link swallowed, his throat burning with the aftertaste of the healing potion. "Why do you care if I run into danger or not?"_

_"How could you even ask me that?" Malon practically growled. "You're my best friend...of course I'd care what happens to you!"_

_The blonde haired man bowed his head, ashamed for questioning Malon. What had he hoped to find, anyway?_

_A heavy silence seemed to settle upon them, only interrupted by the sounds of movement in the kitchen where Ingo and Talon were fixing up some sort of concoction to help heal Link's wounds more quickly. Meanwhile, he was still trapped in his own self-made situation. Now, Malon was even more upset with him than before...and he didn't think there was anything he could say to change that. In fact, anything he did say would probably be taken the wrong way, anyway._

_Suddenly, Malon spoke again. "Take off your shirt."_

_Link's eyes widened. Did he just hear her right? "W-what?"_

_At his astonished look, she placed her hands on her hips. "How am I going to get to that wound if your shirt is in the way? Take it off."_

_"No." The response came before Link could stop it._

_"Don't be such a child, Link."_

_"I'm not taking my shirt off." He remained adamant._

_She narrowed her eyes at him. "Link--"_

_"It's nothing but a scratch, I swear!" he lied. It hurt like Hell, but he wasn't about to own up to that fact. Fortunately, the medicine that had been forced down his throat had triggered some sort of blood clotting which stopped the profuse bleeding...though his shirt was still torn, ragged, and bloody._

_"Link, if you don't take that shirt off right now, I'm--" Malon began threateningly._

_He looked at her with a challenge in his eyes. "You'll do what?"_

_She held his gaze for a moment, and prepared to answer his goad but decided against it and looked away. "I'm just trying to help, and you're making it very difficult."_

_Link closed his eyes and sighed. "I know."_

_Without another word of protest, Link removed his shirt. He watched Malon's expression with interest, but found that it was inscrutable. More and more frequently, he found that she was almost a wall to him. He didn't understand her, though he supposed that wasn't news. He'd never understood the bold and fiery young woman._

_With great delicacy, for which Link was grateful, Malon began to dress his wound. She began with cleaning the deep cuts with some sterile water and then began to wrap the large cloth bandage around his abdomen, making sure to tighten it enough to keep the wound safe, but not so tight to the point where he couldn't move or breathe. Link found it peculiar that she couldn't seem to meet his eyes the entire time, seemingly focused on what she was doing._

_"There," she said when she finished. "All done."_

_"Great." Link smiled, and then started to get up, but found that he still had no strength to do so._

_"Not so fast, Link," Malon chided. "You took quite a beating from that...dragon."_

_"What dragon?" He smirked._

_His attempt at humour was poorly met. "You think this is funny, Link?"_

_"A little." At Malon's annoyed expression, his smile faded. "No, not really, no."_

_"This isn't some game, Link. You're not immortal."_

_"I think we've established that."_

_"Link!"_

_He looked down. "Sorry."_

_She sighed. "I worry about you, Link. If something bad were to happen to you, I--" She bit her lip to keep from saying more, but she'd already piqued Link's curiousity._

_"What, Malon?"_

_The woman folded her hands into her lap, trying to give off the image of serenity...but her torn expression disrupted her facade. "Just please be more careful, Link. If not for yourself than for my peace of mind. I won't be able to get anything done if I keep having to worry about you."_

_He gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine."_

_"That's what you say now," she countered. "But what about tomorrow...or the day after that? You can't be fine if you keep throwing caution to the wind, Link." Her blue eyes roamed the room until finally resting on his face. Quietly, she added, "you show up without warning, and often times you're hurt. What am I to think?"_

_"I can't help it, Mal," Link told her, feeling that wave of guilt crash over him again. "What I do is dangerous."_

_"I know," was her muted reply. "I just want you to be safe."_

_His azure eyes met hers. "I will be. I'm too stubborn to die, remember?"_

_"Obstinacy is no excuse for immortality."_

_Again, a smirk slid onto his parched lips. "Isn't it?"_

_"You're terrible, Link," Malon said with a severe expression, though amusement danced in the depths of her mystically blue eyes. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips._

_The Hero of Time took the farm girl's hands into his own, forcing her to meet his gaze. "If it makes you feel better, I'll try and be more careful."_

_"Promise?"_

_"Cross my heart."_

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Link grimaced as his eyelids fluttered open, clenching his sharp canines together. The past month's events seemed to be lost on him for a moment, while he struggled to stand. It was then he noticed the monster he had become. _So it wasn't a nightmare, after all_, thought Link bitterly. The past month had been fraught with trouble and danger--not that that was something unusual in the Hero of Time's life--and he'd been forced to adjust to his new body, which had not been easy. Add onto that that he'd nearly been killed many times and could no longer communicate with people, and the combination resulted in a very frustrated Link.

As his perceptive eyes took in the surroundings, he realized he didn't know where he was. His increased senses began to adjust to the environment, and he realized that he wasn't alone. Immediately, the once-human wolf leapt to his feet. The reaction caused the only other occupant of the room to move back quickly away from him.

Link narrowed his eyes as he surveyed where he was, but then relaxed when he recognized the woman in the corner. In fact, he was a little more than surprised that she was there. After a month of separation, Link was pleased to see Malon's familiar face. However, she looked somewhat afraid of him...which brought his mind back to reality. He was now a wolf, and Malon probably thought him nothing more than the animal he appeared to be.

He opened his mouth to say something to her, but elicited a bark instead. Malon stood, fumbling for a small dagger in her boot, and Link realized that she was afraid of him. After all, he was nothing but a strange wolf to her. She probably figured he was dangerous. Cursing inwardly, he sank back to the floor so as not to startle her further.

Malon watched him with a suspicious gaze, and Link felt a small pang inside of him. His best friend did not recognize him, nor trust him, and he could not seem to communicate with her in any way. Had he displeased the Goddesses? Was this his punishment for a crime he was not aware of?

He blew a frustrated breath out of his mouth, and it came across almost like a faint growl.

The red-haired woman stopped trying to get at her dagger, believing that the wolf was not too large of a threat. It didn't seem to be trying to attack her, so perhaps she'd earned its loyalty by her previous actions.

Slowly, she pushed a wooden bowl filled to the brim with water over towards the creature. Link's head rose as he looked at her, and then the water. It was humiliating to him to have to drink from a bowl on the ground like some sort of animal...but he had to remind himself that that was what he was now: an animal. Snorting again, Link looked away. He didn't have to act like what he was while Malon was around.

"Come on," Malon said, her voice strangely soft. "You must be thirsty."

Piercing blue eyes settled back on her and Malon shifted uneasily. Link wondered if she felt like prey around him. Goddesses, how he hated this.

Malon pushed the bowl a little closer, but Link nudged it away, trying to give her the message. He might've been thirsty, but he had too much pride to be what he'd become around Malon. Even if she didn't know it was him, he knew who she was, and it would be too degrading.

"Please?" Malon pressed.

For the first time since he'd seen her during the battle, Link had a good chance to notice all the changes about her. She was thinner and a lot paler, though her hair was still thick and long, albeit a bit tangled. There was not a flaw on her pretty face, but her expression seemed to be chiseled on. She looked sad, fearful...nothing like the serene, yet audacious woman she had been. It almost was as if the very life within her had dwindled and died since Link had seen her last. Her movements were hesitant, unsure, and it was like she didn't know what to do with herself. This woman who knelt before him could not possibly be the brazen redhead that he'd once known.

_Oh, Malon_, he thought sadly. _What has the world done to you?_

Realizing that the wolf was not going to drink, Malon took a piece of bread out of the small bag she'd brought with her, and placed it down in front of Link. "Are you hungry, then?"

In all honesty, Link was ravenous. He couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten. But once again, he was filled with doubt. He did not want to be the animal that he looked like, yet if he didn't eat...then he would starve. Starving was not on his priorities, and therefore he--albeit reluctantly--took the food. Once he'd started eating it, he forgot about everything except his hunger and practically swallowed it whole in his rush.

Suddenly, he felt a gentle touch on his head, and stopped eating immediately. When his head rose to get a better look at who was touching him, Malon withdrew her hand, still looking a little uncomfortable in his presence.

"I'm not going to hurt you," she told him.

_I know that,_ Link wanted to reply.

"So don't hurt me," Malon added.

So she was afraid of him! Link almost felt sick and wondered if he'd eaten his food too fast. His eyes moved to the bowl still in front of him. He watched the still liquid that rested inside of it. He was parched. Giving in, Link took a large drink out of the bowl. After all, he had to take care of himself if he was ever going to get through this and return to human form.

_I'm not going to hurt you,_ Link spoke aloud accidentally, more out of habit than anything else. Of course, to Malon--and his own ears--it sounded like nothing more than broken up barks.

Malon reached out her hand to pet the creature again, and relaxed once she realized that Link really was no threat. Link could see the gears in Malon's mind working, and he bet that she was thinking of making him a guard dog or something of the sort. While it would give him something to do, and allow him to be around Malon, Link wasn't going to just wait here and hope his curse wore off. He needed to free the other Light Spirits around Hyrule...or else he'd be trapped in wolf form forever.

He cringed at the thought.

The next few days seemed agonizingly long, as Link continued to try and communicate to Malon and she seemed intent on keeping her distance from him. He knew she wasn't normally frightened of animals, but he had to admit...he was one vicious-looking canine. His fur was black as night with the exception of patches of gray here and there that formed peculiar symbols. Overall, he supposed his physical appearance reflected different attributes of his. Still, it was strange to see himself as an animal rather than a human.

"Epona, calm down!" Malon's voice echoed across the corral until it reached Link's acute hearing.

He quirked his head towards where she was, eyeing the situation warily.

"What's your problem?!" she huffed, placing her hands on her hips as she stood in front of the seemingly irate horse.

Epona whinnied and neighed in an angry response. Much to Link's surprise, he could understand the horse. Perhaps there were perks to being an animal at times. He slowly made his way over to where Epona and Malon were. Malon was still glaring daggers at the disobedient horse, and Epona was rallying other horses to her cause.

"It's just a bath, you silly horse!"

Epona lifted her head up and snorted. _"Well, I don't like baths_,_"_ she said.

While Link found it mildly disconcerting to be able to understand the horse, he could not deny that it would be a useful ability later on. _"Epona,"_ he began, finding the sound of his voice--if barking and growling could even be called such--foreign.

Startled, the horse's beady eyes darted to him. _"What do you want, Wolf?"_

_"It's me, Link!"_

This statement seemed to anger Epona considerably, and she reared up, causing both Malon and Link to move back. The farm girl's eyes widened, and Link could see hurt in them. Epona was probably Malon's last friend, and now the horse was seemingly turning against her. In her surprise, Malon fell back on her bottom, and then began to scoot away from Epona.

Link jumped in front of her then, prepared to calm the horse down and protect Malon at the same time...though he doubted Epona would ever be a real threat to his friend's safety.

_"How dare you make fun of me!" _The horse neighed violently at him, stomping and kicking up dust. _"I watched my rider fall! You're nothing but a pitiful hunter, you would not know loyalty if it bit you! You cannot understand the guilt I feel...so don't you dare mock me!"_

_"Really, Epona, it's me!" _Link persisted, bravely venturing towards the mare. _"Due to the Twilight, I was transformed into this. It was only because I possessed a piece of the Triforce that I did not become a shadow or spirit."_

Epona scoffed, but there was doubt in her eyes. _"I don't believe you."_

_"I can prove it," _said Link.

_"Then do so, Wolf."_

Link paused, thinking of a way to prove to his horse that he was who he said he was. Meanwhile, Malon sat behind him, watching both creatures intently. If she didn't know better, it almost seemed as if they were arguing. The wolf's pose seemed strange to her, too...it appeared to be protecting her, but she didn't understand why. Perhaps the creature was a tamed wolf that had belonged to someone and merely gotten loose? That could explain why it was friendly towards her, and had that odd earring on its left ear.

Finally, Link came up with an idea. He sat down, abruptly, and tilted his head towards the sky. He hoped this worked. Opening his mouth, he began to howl a strange, reminiscent song...a song that Malon had taught to only one other person in her lifetime. A melodious song that seemed to raise spirits, and diminish evil's taint. A song that had once touched Link dearly, as it had touched Malon. It was a song that had bonded an outcast child to a hard-working farm girl.

Malon's eyes widened as she listened to the wolf's howling. It sounded so familiar, yet her mind would not allow her to place where she'd heard it before. It sounded so familiar and it brought her back to warm summers in her childhood, relaxing and working on the farm...and playing with the only real friend she'd had. _Link_. The name came, unbidden, to her mind and she violently pushed it away. Link was dead. Her best and only true friend was dead...there was no use dwelling on the past. The past held too many memories, memories that made her want to weep for what she'd lost.

Link, on the other hand, was all too pleased with his newfound ability. He could speak with animals _and_ howl songs. How cool was that? Well, the latter wasn't extraordinary, but he had to find some silver lining somewhere, didn't he?

Epona had ceased her tirade, staring at Link with wide eyes. _"You are Link."_

Link smiled a toothy grin, though it looked hungrier than anything else. _"Told you."_

When Link turned his head back to look at Malon, the woman was staring in awe of both him and Epona. Likewise, the other horses seemed to stare in curiousity and amazement of the dark wolf. Link suddenly felt nervous and uncomfortable beneath the heavy gazes, and pawed at the ground ceaselessly.

"You..." Malon began, but then shook her head. "That howling...it almost sounded like..." She frowned, her eyes darting around in a confused daze, until they returned to Link.

Slowly, she approached him, kneeling beside him to stroke his furry head. "You remind me so much of him..."

_Him?_ Link thought, feeling a disturbing pang of jealousy coil around his heart.

"You need a name," stated the woman suddenly, trying to take her mind off of her departed friend. "How about Drake?"

The wolf gave her a blank stare.

She shook her head. "Okay, not Drake. How about...Fang?"

If Malon didn't know better, it almost seemed as if the wolf raised a nonexistent eyebrow as it stared skeptically at her, quirking its head to the side a little.

A small giggle escaped her mouth, light and happy. It sounded foreign even to her own ears. "You remind me so much of Link," she commented, unable to help herself.

Link, who had been sitting, sprang to his feet. Perhaps this was his chance to communicate who he was to her! He pawed at the hem of her long skirt, but she simply brought it away from his reach and he growled in frustration. This was definitely going to be more difficult than he'd first suspected...and he hadn't expected it to be easy.

She thought for a moment. "How about Midnight? Because of your black fur, and midnight comes after twilight...like this horrible twilight that seemed to disappear right before I found you."

Malon wasn't sure why she needed to explain her naming process to the wolf, nor even need its approval on a name. Fortunately, the wolf seemed appeased by the name. Though she thought it funny how it had been so stubborn and obstinate earlier. It was just a name. However, this creature seemed to possess so much more personality than any of her other animals, except for maybe Epona who'd always been a cult of personality.

_Midnight's not a bad name,_ thought Link. _But it's not my name._

"You are a strange creature," said she after a time. "And I don't know why, but you remind me of my best friend so much, it's uncanny." And then to herself, "or maybe I'm just losing it."

Lifting a hand to her forehead, she laughed coldly, and shook her head. "C'mon, Midnight, let's go inside, it's starting to get dark out."

Link watched Malon as he followed her into the house, and thought he saw an inkling of a smile tugging at her tight-lipped expression.

_I know you're still there, Malon,_ Link thought with determination, _You're still there, hidden beneath the hurt and the pain. And I will find you...I promise._

_A/N: Please review! No flames, though...thanks! _


	5. Chapter V

**Author's Notes: **Sorry this update took a little longer than expected. It's not one of my better chapters either, in my opinion. I was facing some killer writer's block for some reason but I finally managed to push through it today! Anyway, read, review, and enjoy! No flames, though, please!

**Chapter V**

_"Will you forgive me if I feel this way? 'Cuz we've just met, tell me that's okay. So take this feeling, make it grow, never let it...never let it go."_

_--"Don't Let Go" by Bryan Adams_

_He was perfect. It wasn't his appearance or his personality, for she still didn't know him all that well, but it was something far greater. He was a flawed jewel among a desolate sea of ordinary stones; he was unique...and this is what made him so special to her. Malon wasn't certain what exactly made him so different--unsure if it was his uncommon green clothes or his tiny companion who happened to be a fairy--but she knew he certainly was destined for great things. Not only that but he was her only friend, besides the animals on the Ranch, although she didn't know if the feeling was mutual or not. This mattered little to her, however, for as long as he came around...she would treat him as a friend._

_As the young blonde-haired boy approached, Malon tentatively brushed a few wrinkles out of her dress...barely aware that she was doing it. The boy took his time entering the Ranch, glancing all about him very observantly. His clear blue eyes finally landed on Malon who remained out in the center of the massive corral, surrounded by many horses galloping here and there. Malon nearly blushed under his intense gaze, not accustomed to such a serious, curious gaze from such a young child. In fact, no one looked as inquisitive as her Fairy Boy._

_As Malon watched Link approach, she could see the confliction within his crystal eyes. It wasn't odd to see such a confusing expression on the boy's face, but it made Malon sad all the same. Such a young boy shouldn't have to deal with the cruelties of the world; he should be protected from them. Malon had her father who loved her dearly and shielded her from most of Hyrule's questionable people, creatures, and things...but Link had no one. He seemed to be trapped in the midst of a raging storm, flung back and forth with no hope of reaching a placid shore._

_But not all hope was lost, for Malon pictured herself as Link's lifeline, his connection to the good things in life. Maybe she couldn't protect him, but at least she could provide comfort and security when he needed it. Link was her friend, and she would do anything for him._

"_Morning, Fairy Boy!" she greeted him happily._

_Link nodded. "Good morning, Malon."_

"_Whatcha up to today?"_

"_Actually," Link began, "I came by to get some more milk, but I can't seem to find your father anywhere."_

"_Oh." Malon couldn't hide her disappointed expression. "He probably just fell asleep somewhere again."_

_Link cracked a smile at that. Talon's laziness was known to him, so it was no surprise. "How are things on the ranch?"_

_"Same old, same old," Malon replied._

_Link's eyes wandered around his familiar surroundings as Malon led him into the barn to retrieve some fresh Lon Lon Milk for him. "It looks just as I remember it."_

_"You were just here three days ago, Fairy Boy," she giggled. "It should look the same."_

_The Hero of Time chuckled nervously. "Right. Of course."_

_Malon didn't understand nor realize that the three days that Link had been gone seemed a considerably longer time to him since he'd been in the future, battling monsters, returning peace to the land, and fulfilling his destiny. In Link's mind, he'd been gone for a great many years...the last time he'd seen Malon had been when he'd gotten wounded after the Fire Temple, but he tried not to dwell on the memories of any of the dreadful Temples he was forced to endure._

_"Here you go," Malon said, breaking Link out of his thoughts to hand him a small bottle filled to the rim with white liquid._

_"Oh. Thanks."_

_She raised an eyebrow at him. "Where were you just now?"_

_"What?"_

_"You seemed like your mind was somewhere else," Malon elaborated._

_"Oh," Link replied pathetically. "Yeah. Just thinking."_

_"About what?"_

_Link forced a smile. "Lots of stuff. Nothing important."_

_Malon didn't buy it. "It's alright if you don't want to tell me. But when did you start keeping secrets, Fairy Boy?" She leaned in close to him, on her tippy-toes, causing Link to blush a little at such close proximity._

_She giggled at his expression. "You're such a silly boy."_

_Link blushed in response._

_As much as he'd love to stay, Link knew he had to get going back to the future. Sheik had warned him about staying in the past and meddling too much. He had returned to his stolen childhood to explore the bottom of the well in Kakariko to retrieve the Eye of Truth, and now that he had...he should have returned. However, he hadn't. Instead, he'd gone to Lon Lon Ranch. Why? He wasn't entirely sure. Getting Lon Lon Milk was just an excuse to see his best friend, and he knew it._

_"You did it again." Malon's voice broke him out of his silent reflection._

_"Huh?"_

_She giggled at his confusion. "You're acting like my dad when he doesn't get enough sleep."_

_"Oh, sorry," he apologized. "It's just been a long...day."_

_Malon's expression turned sympathetic. Then an idea struck her. "Hey, Fairy Boy, why don't we go to the lake?"_

_"Hylia?" Link swallowed, visibly perturbed by the thought of Lake Hylia._

_"No, silly, the small lake nearby." She thought for a moment. I guess it's more like a giant puddle...but you get the picture."_

_"Oh," Link replied, relieved. "I'd love to, Mal, but I can't."_

_"Why not?"_

_"Uh...well..."_

_"It'll be fun!" Malon pressed._

_Despite himself, Link accepted. "All right...but not for too long. I have some...things...that I need to do." Link was beginning to get sick of the secrecy he was forced to endure just so he wouldn't screw up the timeline. He wanted desperately to tell Malon everything, even if she didn't understand completely...he just needed someone to commiserate with._

_"Don't you always?" Malon brushed off the latter part of his comment._

_Grabbing some fishing rods off of a shelf, she motioned for Link to follow her. Hesitantly he did so. The entire time that it took them to walk to the small lake located southwest of the ranch, Malon's thoughts were on her friend, and what seemed to be bothering him. Link normally looked distressed about some thing or another, but it seemed different now. He walked as if he held the weight of the world upon his shoulders, and his eyes darted around nervously...as if he was expecting to be attacked by something at any given moment, which was ridiculous, of course, in Malon's mind._

_"Hurry up, slow poke!" she teased, running ahead of him now that the miniature lake was in sight._

_Link did as she requested, breaking into a run to match her stride. "Do you go fishing a lot?"_

_She shook her head. "No. I'm usually too busy helping Dad and Ingo out on the ranch."_

_"Do you ever feel like...like shirking your responsibilities at the ranch because they shouldn't have been yours in the first place?" The question had a subtle interpretation that was lost on the young girl. _

_"'Course not!" Malon replied, appalled. "I'll admit, sometimes it's a pain to wake up early and do my chores, but there's no else to do them so there's really no choice in the matter."_

_"But if there was," Link persisted. "If there was someone else who could do them for you--"_

_"Where's this coming from, Fairy Boy?"_

_Link immediately sobered. "Never mind. Forget I said anything."_

_Again, Malon knew something was bothering Link, though she knew he was probably too proud to admit to it. She didn't want to press the subject and make him uncomfortable, but her curiousity was tugging at her, pleading with her to find out the source of her friend's anxiety. She was torn between her incredible desire to help ease Link's inconsolable conscience and her fear that she'd push him too hard and he'd shut her out completely._

_Ultimately, her fear won out, and she changed the subject. "It's such a beautiful day, isn't it, Fairy Boy?" _

_He nodded, and she noticed that he'd been pulled back into his dark thoughts._

_Her eyes looked around, and eventually landed on the lake. She then realized how close they were to it, and the overwhelming urge to push Link in took over. She didn't give him a warning, but stretched out her arms and pushed him. He lost his balance and leaned forward, but to her surprise, he managed to grab her and take her with him. _

_She giggled, pushing away her wet, red hair that had become like a curtain in front of her face. Likewise, Link was laughing too, a nice, hearty laugh. And he was smiling. Malon felt as if she'd been successful in rescuing Link from the dark pool of thoughts that he'd been drowning in._

_"What'd you do that for?" he asked, still laughing as he pushed away some bothersome blonde bangs from his damp face._

_"If I'd known that you were going to drag me with you, I wouldn't have!" she replied with a large grin on her face._

_Link tried to stand, but his legs slipped out from under him and he splashed back into the shallow water. Malon laughed at him, and then tried to get to her feet as well. The same thing happened to her. They looked at one another's soggy appearance and burst into youthful laughter._

_"You look like a wet dog!" Malon told Link._

_Link smiled. "Well, you don't look much better!"_

_Their banter continued light-heartedly, and Link's smile seemed to spread across his face like a wildfire, and Malon became more and more pleased that her friend was enjoying himself._

_Eventually, they managed to get out of the water, sitting on the peaceful shore, allowing the sun to dry them, while they held their fishing poles out in front of them. It hadn't taken Malon much time before her line tugged and she pulled out a good-sized fish. She had shown it to Link, and Link had simply scoffed, assured that he could catch a bigger one._

_"I caught another!" Malon exclaimed, reeling her line in. "It feels like a big one!"_

_Link jumped to his feet to look farther to see if he could see Malon's fish. He couldn't. "I don't see anything!"_

_Just then, Malon gave her line one last tug and the fish came flying out of the water...right into Link's face. With a loud "oomph!" Link was sent to the ground with a flaying fish on his face._

_Malon burst into hysteric laughter, clutching her stomach as she watched Link fight with the flopping fish. The battle between boy and fish continued until the fish managed to squeeze out of Link's slippery grasp and jump back into the water. Link stood there, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment._

_Malon opened her mouth to say something, but Link merely raised an imperious hand to stop her. "Not a word," he ordered._

_The farm girl just started laughing again. "That still counts as mine!"_

_"It got back in the water, though!"_

_"Doesn't matter, that wasn't my fault!"_

_Link crossed his arms. "It was a slippery fish, okay?"_

_"Whatever you say, Fairy Boy," she snickered._

_He plopped himself back beside Malon, grabbing his fishing rod with a vengeance and focusing intently on the rather still water. He had to catch something, or else he knew he'd never be able to live this moment down. Link knew Malon well enough to know that she'd hold his fishing skills, or lack thereof, over his head for the rest of their life._

_"Hey, Fairy Boy."_

_"What now, Mal?"_

_She slowly held up her line, a small wriggling fish on the end of it. "I caught another one."_

_Link growled. "You're cheating!" he accused._

_"Am not!"_

_"You so are!"_

_Malon stuck her tongue out at him. "You're just a spoiled sport!"_

_"Am not!"_

_"Are too!" And then she grabbed his green hat, pulling it down over his face._

_"Hey!" he cried, alarmed._

_Malon had gotten to her feet by now, fishing rod in hand. "Last one back to the ranch is a rotten apple!"_

_"Oh no, you don't!" Link said, leaping to his feet once he'd successfully situated his hat on his head._

_He noticed immediately that Malon was already halfway home, and he quickly pursued her._

_Laughter followed both children all the way back to the ranch._

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The memory of the first time Malon had taken Link to the lake was fresh in her mind. Despite how the rest of Hyrule had changed, the small "puddle" seemed relatively unchanged by the debilitating years. It still seemed to have a glossy shine to it, and one could see small fish swimming just beneath its crystalline waters. Additionally, the air around the miniature lake seemed fresh as opposed to the suffocating feeling most air around Hyrule had taken.

Malon couldn't help but smile as she took in the sight. She then looked up into the clear sky, her hand shielding her eyes from the blinding sun. "It's a beautiful day, isn't it, Midnight?" she asked her furry companion.

The dog barked in reply.

They walked a little closer before Malon suddenly turned to the wolf. "Last one to the lake is a mangy mutt!"

Surprisingly, the dog seemed to understand her and sped off ahead of her. Malon picked up her skirt and rushed after, but the wolf had its agility and natural aerodynamics to assist it in the win. And much to Malon's embarrassment, it did win. She laughed as she arrived at the shore of the lake.

The canine was sitting there, nose ever so slightly in the air, with one eye trained on her, as if to say _"You were saying?"_

She laughed. "Okay, okay, you win."

Malon petted Midnight on the top of his head, and the dog seemed to give her a toothy grin. She then hiked her skirts up again, and began to wade into the water. It seemed refreshingly cool against her hot skin and she closed her eyes, reveling in the serene feeling.

Abruptly, there was a loud splash followed by angry barking. Her eyes shot to the wolf that was drenched in lake water, his dark coat glistening in the daylight. His eyes were narrowed at a spot in the lake, while his head moved around if trying to keep focused on something. Upon closer inspection, she noticed a fish swimming around near where Midnight was standing.

"Is that fish bothering you?" she queried, stifling a laugh at the dog's obtrusive manner.

It growled in reply, as if embarrassed that it could not catch the fish.

"Need some help?"

The wolf snorted, shooting her a menacing look.

Malon raised her hands defensively, still struggling to hold in her laughter. "Alright, alright, I'll let you have at that fish by yourself then."

She sat back down on the bank of the water, just to the point where the water reached her toes, tickling them ever so slightly. If she closed her eyes, she felt like she could imagine the previous times she'd been to this lake...with Link. Her lips parted ever so slightly to allow a reminiscent sigh to escape.

She missed him.

If she silenced the sounds of world, she could almost imagine him sitting there beside her, laughing as he tried to catch a fish. He'd never been a good fisherman, but she had given him credit for trying. She could remember the way his face lit up when he finally caught a fish, or the way his lips puckered up in disdain when Malon caught more fish than he did. The most vivid image she could recall was his brilliant blue eyes, the way they shimmered with an inner power if the light caught them just right.

A gentle nudge alerted her to the presence of her wolf companion. Midnight was still dripping wet, and still had no fish. The dog's expression seemed to be one of humiliation. When Malon looked at him, she thought she could see Link's same embarrassed expression when he'd been unable to show Malon up at fishing.

"Here, let me help you," she said, getting to her feet and brushing herself off.

As she waded into the water again, she noticed the wolf's peculiar look and laughed despite herself. "I used to come here with my best friend," she said to the wolf, turning back to the water to find a fish. "He never seemed to like going to Lake Hylia for some reason, so this was the next best thing."

The dog sat on its haunches, watching her intently as if able to understand what she was saying.

"He was terrible at fishing," she continued.

The dog barked, as if to cry, _"Hey!"_

"But he tried anyway every time we came." Malon located a fish. "But that never really surprised me. Link was a very determined person...though he didn't like to lose. You know the saying 'if at first you don't succeed, try again'?"

There was a pause, and Malon had to remind herself that she was speaking with an animal. She blushed. "Of course you don't, but I wouldn't have been surprised if Link had invented that saying."

With lightening quick precision, Malon's hands flew into the water and came up with a squirming fish. Smiling, she tossed the fish to Midnight. Instead of eating it, the dog proceeded to play with it as the fish tried desperately to get back to the water.

Malon sat back down beside her furry companion, petting him affectionately. "I miss him," she commented softly. She looked down at Midnight. "It's not fair, you know? He made me a promise and..." her voice trailed off into thoughtful silence.

The dark wolf nudged her to break her out of her mournful reverie. It looked up at her with wide, blue eyes. If it could speak, she would have thought it was apologizing for something.

A faint smile slipped onto her lips, and she looked away. "It's not your fault...and it's not really Link's either. I don't know what I was expecting from him. I just--I never got to tell him. I think that's what bothers me most."

Her animal friend seemed particularly interested in her last comments, but she figured he just wanted her to catch him some more fish.

"One more fish," Malon promised. "Then we head home, okay?"

Midnight seemed to nod in response.

Malon smiled.

_A/N: Every review helps fight Writer's Block, a vicious beast known to prey on authors from time to time._


	6. Chapter VI

**Author's Notes: **I want to dedicate this chapter to HylianBlood and BlazeStarre for their very kind reviews and constant support! I also would like to thank my beta editor, Woman Of Rohan, whom without...this story would just not be as good. Lastly, I want to thank all the other reviewers who take the time to review my story, it means a lot to me! Without further ado, Chapter 6! As always, read, review, and enjoy!

**Chapter VI  
**_  
"If someone said three years from now you'd be long gone, I'd stand up and punch them out 'cause they're all wrong. I know better 'cause you said forever and ever. Who knew?"  
--"Who Knew" by Pink_

_Malon's welcoming smile was something that Link had gotten used to. Whatever he went through when he left the safety of Lon Lon Ranch, he could always count on that one small piece of happiness to shine through to him whenever he returned. It had almost become a ritual of sorts. Link would return from one of his dangerous escapades, and Malon would be there at the entrance to the ranch with a large smile spread across her face._

_"Welcome back, Fairy Boy!" she greeted as she always did when he returned._

_A realization would always dawn on Link then. He had no home. Kokiri Forest had been where he'd grown up, but it wasn't home. Saria was the only person who had cared for him but even she could not completely disregard the fact that he was an outsider there. He knew if he returned, she'd welcome him back...but she would be the only one. Most of the Kokiri blamed him for the Great Deku Tree's death despite anything he told them._

_No, Kokiri Forest was not his home._

_When he would think on it further, usually in the span of a few seconds, he would always realize that his home would be where his heart was. His heart was rarely ever in what he was doing. While his adventures could be fun, and he met many interesting people, they were also dangerous...and the excitement he felt usually wore off when the first sign of pain hit him._

_So, if his heart was not in the forest or in adventuring...where did it lie?_

_Malon embraced him. "I missed you! You have to tell me all about your adventures!"_

_When she pulled away, Link was able to stare into the depths of her blue eyes. It was then--and only then--that he realized where he did belong. "I missed you, too, Mal."_

_She grabbed his hand boldly, leading him further into the ranch. The familiar scent of hay hit him and made him smile. The breeze that swept through the small ranch seemed to refresh him, rejuvenating his body and mind at once. He could not deny that the sounds of the animals seemed to bring him to life, reminding him that there was still good in the world even amongst all the evil and despair. Lon Lon Ranch was like a haven for Link. He could always come here, and he would always leave feeling a better person._

_"Dad did the silliest thing the other day!" Malon was saying as Link came back to reality, having been lost in the warm sensations that were attributed to the ranch. "He woke up in the middle of the night, and said he was going to go to Kakariko village to deliver some milk! I told him it was the middle of the night but he didn't listen...he just kept going on and on about delivering milk! Tee hee!"_

_Link smiled._

_"And then instead of grabbing any of the milk bottles, he grabbed a pitchfork and walked out into the middle of the corral!" Malon continued enthusiastically. "Before I knew it, he was running around the corral swatting at the air with his pitchfork."_

_"What?" Link giggled. "Why was he doing that?"_

_Malon giggled along with Link. "He said he was fighting 'those dang varmints'! I tried to wake him up, but it was no use. He just kept running around and hitting at the air. Oh, oh! And sometimes he'd hit one of the fences and holler that he got 'em! Isn't that the silliest thing you've ever heard?"_

_Link nodded. "That is pretty silly. What'd he do when he did wake up?"_

_"I don't know," Malon confessed. "I went back to bed after I realized that he wasn't going to wake up any time soon. I think Ingo found him asleep in the corral in the morning, though, and he couldn't remember a thing!"_

_The two children burst into laughter once more, and the laughter seemed to warm Link's soul. He had become so used to facing cruel monsters in the deepest and most obscure places in Hyrule that he'd forgotten what he had been fighting for in the first place. Whenever he looked at Malon's smiling face, devoid of fear and pain, he would realize that there was still good in the world...and that was what kept him going, kept him fighting._

_"But enough about that," Malon said. "What about you, Fairy Boy? Have you collected all those spiritual things?"_

_Link removed a small pack from his pocket, plopping it in front of Malon. "See for yourself."_

_She slowly opened the small pouch, and her smile seemed to increase. "Oh, Fairy Boy, these are so pretty!"_

_One by one, she removed the Spiritual Stones from the calfskin bag, holding them in her hand delicately. The first one she pulled out was the Spiritual Stone of the Forest. The Kokiri's Emerald seemed to shine with all the life that Hyrule possessed. The green emerald seemed to capture the light and send it right back in shimmering rays that danced across the ground and whatever else it touched. After studying it for a moment, Malon placed it back in the bag._

_"That one matches your clothes," she commented as her hand rooted around the bag for another stone._

_The boy grinned. "Maybe I should keep it for an earring then?"_

_Malon giggled. "I don't know...it might make you a bit top heavy."_

_"Hey!" he defended. "I'm no lightweight!"_

_Malon shoved him playfully, and he toppled over in surprise. "I can see that."_

_He narrowed his eyes as he sat back up. "Unfair," he mumbled._

_The next stone she pulled out was the Spiritual Stone of Fire. It was warm to the touch, and seemed to reflect Malon's fiery hair. The Goron's Ruby was shaped like a flame, and when the light hit it, it almost appeared to flare up as if it were a live dancing fire. Malon seemed entranced by the beautiful ruby, moving it between her hands, her eyes wide as she examined it._

_"Where'd you get this one?" she asked._

_"Near the top of Death Mountain."_

_Her eyes widened more as she looked at him excitedly. "You climbed Death Mountain?!"_

_He nodded. "Sort of. I got that stone from the Gorons after helping them rid the Dodongo's Cavern of a monster."_

_"A monster?"_

_Again, Link nodded. "Yup!"_

_"Wow, you're so brave!" Malon praised him._

_Link couldn't help but smile at that, puffing out his chest ever so slightly. "It was nothing."_

_She giggled at his display of manliness. "That's what all heroes say."_

_The comment seemed to touch Link deep down. She called him a hero. Well, indirectly, anyway. Link had always viewed himself as a messenger, being forced to face hardships at the behest of Princess Zelda. She seemed to believe in him, and apparently, so did Malon. But Princess Zelda had never referred to him as a hero. But, was he even that much?_

_"You think I'm a hero?" Link queried in a quiet tone._

_Malon nodded vehemently. "Mhm! I don't know anyone else who could sneak into the Castle, meet the Princess, and climb Death Mountain. Do you?"_

_Link smirked. "I guess not."_

_"Face it, Fairy Boy," Malon told him, poking him in the shoulder affectionately. "You're a hero."_

_"Thanks, Mal."_

_Malon's belief in Link seemed to encourage him that much more. If she thought he was a hero, then he'd be a hero._

_She put the Goron's Ruby back and took out the last stone. The Spiritual Stone of Water, or the Zora's Sapphire, had been, by far, the most difficult stone to attain in Link's opinion. But when Malon smiled when she saw it, he felt like it was well worth the trouble in getting it. It was blue, and the light made it seem as if it was rippling just like the waters in Zora's Domain. The gold that held the three blue jewels together was flawless, and Malon could see her reflection in them as her eyes sparkled with intrigue._

_"That one matches your eyes," Link blurted out._

_He thought he noticed Malon's cheeks turn a shade darker, but he pawned it off on his overactive imagination. "Thanks, Fairy Boy. They match yours, too."_

_Link liked the shy smile that Malon was giving him. "But I'm already using the Kokiri's Emerald for an earring, I can't use that one, too!"_

_The farmgirl giggled, its sound as light as the puffy clouds in the sky. "Now you're just being silly."_

_"Am I?" he replied with a crooked grin._

_She hit him playfully again. "Yes, you are."_

_Stuffing the last stone back in the pouch, she handed it back to Link._

_"So, what are you going to do now?"_

_Link paused. "Well, I guess head back to the Castle and give them to Zelda."_

_Malon quirked her face into a peculiar expression._

_"What?" Link asked._

_She shook her head, her long red locks of hair falling around her shoulders like a cascading waterfall of lava. "Nothing."_

_"Come on, tell me."_

_"It's nothing, Fairy Boy!"_

_"I don't believe you." He added, "don't you trust me?"_

_She frowned. "You can be pushy sometimes, you know that?"_

_He grinned triumphantly. "Part of being a hero."_

_Malon shook her head as she stood. "I'm going to regret giving you that title, aren't I?"_

_Link stood as well. "Probably."_

_They were both quiet for a moment, content in the presence of one another. Finally, Malon sighed._

_"Okay, fine," she conceded. "I'll tell you...but promise you won't laugh."_

_"I promise," Link agreed seriously._

_She shuffled her feet, kicking at the dirt nervously. "I don't want you to go."_

_He furrowed his brows. "But...I have to go, Mal."_

_"Do you really?" Malon's eyes were full of an unnamed fear._

_Link had never seen Malon look so...concerned, before. "I collected these stones for the Princess...I have to finish what I started, Malon."_

_"I just have this really bad feeling," she told him in an unsure tone, very unlike her._

_Link offered her a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine. I've been through the worst of it, it's all downhill from here...so don't worry."_

_Malon bit her bottom lip. "But, what if you don't come back? What if something bad happens and you can't come back?"_

_"Malon, nothing bad is going to happen!"_

_"How can you be so sure?"_

_She looked at him with a piercing gaze, almost as if daring him to answer her. "I have a reason to come back."_

_This seemed to assuage her fears slightly. "Promise?"_

_He nodded._

_"Okay, Fairy Boy, I'm going to hold you to that!" Malon said, her voice possessing that strong, courageous quality again._

_"I wouldn't expect anything less," he replied with a faint smile._

_"Are you leaving now?"_

_"Yeah, I want to get this over with," he told her honestly. "As soon as I'm done, I'll come straight back...and then we can mess with the cuccos."_

_She giggled. "You're so mean to them, Fairy Boy. I don't think they like you very much."_

_He snorted. "The feeling's mutual."_

_She embraced him suddenly, placing a light kiss on his cheek. "Be careful."_

_He returned her hug awkwardly, though he felt sort of warm and fuzzy inside. "I will be."_

_"Friends forever?" she queried._

_Link smiled. "Forever and ever."_

_Malon released him and he turned to head towards the castle, leaving his only true friend behind him. With every step away from Malon, he could hear his heart pounding in his ears. Once he reached the entrance to the ranch, he glanced back at his friend. She waved him goodbye, but she no longer had that welcoming smile on. The sky around Hyrule Field suddenly seemed darker, and already the world felt a bit less bright._

_He turned to face the path that led to the Castle, to Princess Zelda, to his unknown fate._

_Suddenly, he had a bad feeling, too._

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link blinked his weary eyes a couple times before opening them completely. His mind felt clouded and foggy, but he could faintly hear a voice calling him...though it sounded far away. As his eyes adjusted to the light that had begun to spill into the room, he felt a tugging at the back of his neck, before he was being yanked to his feet.

"Get up, you lazy wolf!" Malon ordered, though there was no menace in her voice, just amusement.

For a moment, Link had forgotten what he had become. In his dreams, he was not a beast, but a man. In his dreams, he didn't have to worry about facing the day as an animal, unable to communicate with the only person in the world who seemed to care about him. In his dreams, there was never any twilight.

With a cavernous yawn, Link stretched, his muscles rippling beneath his furry hide. His mouth felt dry, and his body ached a little, but he figured it was from inactivity rather than anything else. For the past few days, Link hadn't felt like doing anything but sleep. He was well aware of the fact that he needed to free the other Light Spirits from the twilight, but he couldn't bring himself to leave the safe confines of Lon Lon Ranch.

It was almost as if there was some inexplicable pull that didn't allow him to leave.

"You've been sleeping all day!" Malon continued as she stuck the pitchfork in the hay that Link had been sleeping on.

Link simply sniffed in response, preferring to go back to sleep. After all, there was no hurry. Sure, most of Hyrule was beneath horrible twilight, unable to live their lives to the fullest...but why did the duty fall on him again to save them? Had he not done enough when he'd saved them from Ganondorf before?

Malon placed the scooped up hay in one of the troughs for the horses, before turning back to Link who had curled up again on the pile. "Oh!" she exclaimed, narrowing her eyes at the animal. "Well, if you aren't the laziest animal ever! Get up, you!"

Link ignored her.

That is, he ignored her until she poked him with the pitchfork. He sprang up quickly, then, growling at her and barking lowly...almost in a mumbling sound.

She smirked at him. "You shouldn't just laze around, Midnight. It's not good for you, especially since you're still healing. You should get some exercise and some fresh air."

Without any more protest, Link exited the open door to the stables, bursting out into the unforgiving sunlight. Having been in darkness for so long, Link squinted his eyes to keep the light from stinging them. There was a cool breeze, but it seemed heavy, weighted. He moved his head to where the wind was coming from and noticed the castle in the distance, incarcerated in a massive diamond of twilight.

Immediately, Link began to feel guilty. Princess Zelda was trapped within those stony walls, within that prison of dark taint...while he was wallowing in luxury on a farm, being taken care of by his best friend. The Princess suffered in imprisonment, while he was free. She was innocent of any crime, while he was shirking his responsibilities.

With a heavy heart, the wolf headed inside of the house, not wishing to see the castle or outside any further. It did not take him long to reach Malon's room on the second story. And once he did, he plopped himself on her bed, having no strength to do anything else.

Slowly, he began to drift off to sleep, his eyelids closing.

"Midnight!" Malon hollered from outside.

Link tried to silence her, but his sensitive hearing forbade him from doing so.

"Midnight!" she called again. "Where are you, you silly wolf?"

Reluctantly, Link hopped off the bed. He hadn't taken more than a few steps when one of his paws went through a floorboard. His eyes widened and he struggled to remove his paw but no luck. Malon continued to call him, but he was unable to come. The more he struggled, the further his paw went in.

Using his teeth, he managed to pry the rest of the floorboard away. To his surprise, it seemed to slide away with relative ease, and he was able to remove his paw. Link would have left then except for he realized that he hadn't fallen through a rusty floorboard, but had discovered a secret compartment. He scanned the contents of the aforementioned compartment, pushing aside some papers with his snout until he came to a small wooden ocarina.

It was small compared to most ocarinas, but it was obvious that it was hand carved. There were some small symbols on the side that looked like children's scrawling. There were certain flaws to it, but it seemed to add to its charm. He also noticed a small ribbon tied around it, as if it were a gift. Obviously, it had been made by a child...but whom? Malon was a grown woman now, so she couldn't have made it unless...

"Midnight!" Malon said, as she walked into the room. "There you are! I was wondering where--" She caught sight of the secret compartment and its contents, namely the ocarina. "--you went."

At first, she just stood there, as if rooted to that very spot. Link stood where he was too. Malon's gaze was locked on that small ocarina, for reason Link couldn't quite comprehend. He could only assume that it held some sort of significance for his friend. There was an agonizingly long moment where neither moved, and Malon said nothing.

Then, slowly, she headed across the room, eyes still locked on the ocarina. She knelt down next to the compartment, delicately picking up the small musical instrument as if it were a priceless jewel. Her eyes seemed to take it in, and Link could see the wheels in her mind turning as the memory of the ocarina came back to her.

Before he knew it, Malon had stood and had begun to yell at him. "What did you think you were doing?! Why are you even in my room? You could have broken something!"

Link shrunk away, back towards the bed, unsure of what else to do. He opened his mouth to say something, but only small, whimpering barks came out, and he cursed himself again for being nothing more than an animal.

Malon continued to hold the ocarina in her hands, though her fiery gaze was directed at him. "You could have broken this!" she cried, eyes tearing up. She seemed to fight with herself for a few moments, before sinking back down to the floor.

"You could have broken this," she whispered in a more complacent voice, "and you wouldn't have even known what it was."

Feeling like he should do something, Link hesitantly made his way over to Malon, nudging her bare shoulder with his furry cheek. He suddenly felt a drop on his nose, and crossed his eyes to try and see it, but it was absorbed into his fur. He then looked up and noticed Malon was crying.

_Wait,_ Link thought. _Malon's crying?_

"He promised," she murmured as the tears rolled down her cheeks. "He _promised_."

_Who's she talking about?_ Link thought to himself. _What promise?_

Malon turned her watery blue eyes to the wolf that seemed to be trying to comfort her. "I'm sorry, Midnight," she sniffed, wiping furiously at her tears as if they made her weak. "It's just, this--I'd forgotten I made this."

Now, Link was curious, and his expression showed it.

"I made this for my friend Link a long time ago, but he left on some quest to find his fairy," she explained. "I guess I just put it away and...forgot." She frowned. "He came back that time like he promised he would...but he's not coming back this time."

_"Malon,"_ Link began, but it was only a bark to her ears.

She smiled a wintry smile, looking down at the ocarina. "Just another broken promise."

The woman shoved the ocarina back into the compartment roughly, placing the wooden board on it as well before getting to her feet. She smoothed the wrinkles in her worn skirt before touching her forehead as if trying to will away a memory.

"Maybe, in time, I'll forget him, too," she whispered to herself.

Link watched her leave the room quickly, then. He stared down at the compartment hidden beneath a broken floorboard. Malon's pain had almost been palpable, and it hurt him to see her in so much despair. He wanted to help, wanted to do _something_...but he knew he couldn't.

What he found strange about it all was the fact that Malon was so easily upset by any memory or mention of him. It was almost as if she didn't _want_ to remember him. But hadn't they been good friends? Link didn't understand it.

So, he decided he'd consult a friend on the matter.

It wasn't odd for Link to speak to Epona, for he'd done so numerous times on his adventures. What was odd was when she talked back to him and he could understand her. He was still having a difficult time adjusting to life as an animal.

_"I just don't understand it, Epona," _Link said, sitting before the animal in the stables. _"It's like she wishes she'd never known me at all."_

Epona seemed to chortle, if that was even possible for a horse. _"Link, she misses you. She thinks you're dead...and it makes her sad."_

_"Yeah," _Link agreed dryly. _"I understand that. It's just..." _His sentence trailed off.

_"Link, did you ever wonder why Malon might be so upset?"_

_"Because I'm her friend, of course." _Link seemed proud of his answer. At least, he knew something.

Epona hesitated. _"Yes, but...did you ever think it was more than that?"_

Link was confused. _"More than what?"_

_"Link, Malon cares for you," _the horse told him.

_"I know that."_

_"A lot."_

The wolf nodded. _"I know...I'm her best friend. I care about her, too."_

Epona snorted. _"Your senses may have heightened as a wolf, but it's obvious that your intelligence hasn't."_

Link raised a nonexistent eyebrow. _"I don't understand."_

_"Of course you don't."_

There was a pause. _"Mind explaining it to me?"_

The horse shook its head, its mane billowing out like snow around its red-coated face. _"I'm afraid I can't do that, Link. It's not my place to tell you."_

_"To tell me what, Epona?"_

But the horse simply turned its head from Link, ending the conversation. He growled in frustration. The conversation he'd had with Epona hadn't gotten him any closer to the truth, but had, instead, left him feeling even more confused and frustrated.

He had a feeling that it was going to be a long day.

_Author's Notes: Please, don't forget to review! No flames, though, thanks. Constructive critiscm is welcome, as always._


	7. Chapter VII

**Author's Notes: **Ack, I'm so sorry that it's taken this long to get out this next chapter! Life has been hectic, but I won't bore you with the details. The updates for this story will likely come slower than usual, but I do have every intention of finishing it . . . even if it takes a while! So please bear with me. Anyway, without further ado, I present the next chapter. Please read, review, and enjoy! Oh, and a big hearty thanks to all those readers who have faithfully been reading and reviewing this story! I really appreciate it!

**Chapter VII**

_"You, you're always there for me when I need you most. Day and night you're by my side protecting me."_

_--"Protecting Me" by Aly & AJ_

_Malon heard the sound of the slap before she felt the pain that accompanied it. At first, she was simply stunned as she stared into the face of the man who had once been a faithful ranch hand. But that had all changed. Ingo had changed. Gone was the grumbling servant, replaced by a man who lusted for the same power that Ganondorf had used to conquer Hyrule and enslave its inhabitants. In the instant in which he slapped her, she knew the life she'd known was gone forever._

_In more shock than pain, Malon lifted a trembling hand to touch the raw cheek that Ingo had slapped. She touched her lip, pulling her hand away to glance at the small vestiges of blood on the tip of her finger. For a moment, she couldn't comprehend the situation. Ingo had slapped her? It wasn't possible for she had not done anything wrong . . . and he would not dare raise a hand to her as if she were just another animal, would he?_

_So many questions seemed to tumble through her mind, like an out-of-control boulder, wreaking havoc in its path. The memories of the past few years seemed to flash before her tearful eyes. Darkness. Terror. Death. Hyrule was not as it was; it had changed . . . and not for the better. The once beautiful land was now ruled by a man so evil that the Goddesses seemed helpless to stop his reign of evil. Malon could barely remember a time when the land wasn't barren, lifeless . . . when the people weren't frightened, weak._

_She closed her eyes, biting back and pain and betrayal that she felt. She had always held grievances with Ingo, and he with her, but she had never expected him to change as he had. First, he had struck a deal with the devil himself, Ganondorf, and then had kicked her father out of his own ranch. Then he began to treat the horses badly, and now he had hit her._

_It would stop there, she thought to herself even though she knew she had no power to stop his tyrannical ambitions. She was more helpless now than ever before._

_"You . . . hit me," she whispered, her voice betraying her feelings._

_Ingo's face was impassive. "You deserved it, you lazy wretch. Maybe next time you'll listen to I, the great Ingo!"_

_Malon narrowed her eyes at him. "Never. I will never listen to you, again."_

_This vehement statement surprised Ingo. "What did you say?"_

_"You heard me, Ingo. I won't be your slave anymore. And I won't let you hurt the horses either."_

_"Foolish girl!" he spat. "You have no idea who you're dealing with!"_

_"Oh, I think I do," Malon replied in a challenging tone. "I'm dealing with a coward. A worthless piece of scum not worthy to run this ranch!"_

_"How dare you!"_

_"You're scum, Ingo! You're pathetic!" She was yelling at him now. "You're a coward, a pitiful, little coward!"_

_"Silence!" he roared, and for a moment, Malon feared he'd hit her again._

_Instead, he stared at her through charcoal eyes, burning her with his glare. Malon did not wince or turn away, however, holding her ground and tilting her chin up in defiance. Ingo had to know that he could not treat her like this for she would not let him. If he set a precedence of cruelty, things would only grow worse. Perhaps if Malon could stop the root of the ranch's corruption at the source, then it would all stop._

_"Get out of my sight." His voice was muted, hinting at the barely controlled anger reigned in beneath his stiff surface. "Now."_

_Malon briefly entertained the idea of lashing back at him with a sharp retort, but banished the thought, knowing it would do more harm than good._

_Without a word, she picked up her skirt and moved into the house, making certain to slam the door behind her to show her displeasure at the situation. It was inconceivable how Ingo had treated her and she couldn't seem to wrap her mind around it even as she laid sprawled across her bed, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. Malon was strong of heart and mind, for Talon had raised her to be, but she wasn't sure if she was strong enough to stand against the coming tide of evil._

_She looked over to her dresser, to a small picture that sat atop it. It was of herself and her father when she had been much younger. They both looked so jovial, as if nothing in the world could've stopped their contentment. Being older now, Malon realized that the photograph was merely a reminder of her wishful thinking . . . and the remnants of an idealistic young girl. The real world was not all Lon Lon Milk and horses as it once had seemed . . . It was a dangerous realm where one either succeeded or failed; there was no in between anymore._

_The young woman wanted to cry, wanted to scream, wanted to throw something and hurt someone as much as she felt hurt. But the logical part of her mind held steadfast, reminding her that none of the former actions would help ease the aching in her bosom. If anything, it would aid her in her own descent into the darkness that had overtaken the realm. If she could retain her innocence, her goodness, then perhaps she would outlast the storm._

_She released a shaky breath as she got off of her bed, intent on making peace with Ingo. Though the man seemed to be pure evil, Malon knew that was not the case. There was still goodness in him, there had to be. Her father had taught her that everyone had good in them, even if it was just a little bit. _

_As she moved past her window towards her door, a sound reached her ears that made her stop dead in her tracks. It was a haunting melody that engulfed her entire being, warming her senses and tickling her memories. She closed her eyes, listening as the song played on. It was over before she knew it, though she longed for it to continue, for it to take her back to the past and to happier times._

_Soon afterwards, her hearing was assaulted by vehement neighing; Malon recognized the animalistic sound to belong to that of her favourite horse, Epona. The song, as well, had been her mother's song and one that the horse responded remarkably well too. Only Malon and one other person had ever known the song._

_Suddenly, she was at the window, struggling to get a good view of the owner of the ocarina that had played that tune. Instead, she was met with a view of Ingo racing another man on horseback around the corral. Ingo sat atop a black stallion, the horse's coat colour matching its owner's heart, while the oddly green-clothed man was mounted on top of Epona. Malon watched in amazement as the two raced, the stranger eventually beating Ingo much to Ingo's chagrin._

_No matter how much she struggled to see him, she couldn't get a good look at the newcomer's face though his clothes were very similar in design to the clothing of a boy she once knew. But that was impossible. He couldn't be Link. Link was gone, dead. There was no other explanation for his sudden disappearance the same day that Ganondorf usurped the throne. If he had been alive, then Ganondorf would have been stopped._

_"Link," she said to herself before shaking her head, furious that she'd even thought of him. _

_How would she ever find the strength to fight for herself, her father, and the horses if she kept relying on some larger than life hero to show up and save her from her troubles? She knew better than that, truly she did. Real life was no fairytale, after all, otherwise it wouldn't be called Real Life._

_She rolled her eyes at the absurdity of her previous thoughts about Link. "Stupid, stupid!" she chided aloud._

_It was with great resolve that she turned away from the window, sitting back down on her bed to sort through her tumultuous thoughts._

_A short while later there came a knock on her door. With a great amount of trepidation, she answered it. Would it be Ingo coming to assault her again? Or perhaps he would apologize? In the end, the person on the other side of the door was the last person Malon ever expected to see again._

_Link was midway towards knocking again, arm in the air and hand curled into a fist, when Malon finally opened the door. She stared at him with an expression somewhere between complete confusion and utter disbelief. A silence stretched out between them; they had not seen each other for seven years. Seven long, arduous, miserable years. The kind that caused one to question the existence of Goddesses and Heroes alike. _

_Yet, here stood the only person that Malon had been convinced that she would never see again. A miracle only the Goddesses could have granted her in their infinite wisdom, mercy, and compassion. A hero in the flesh, hope incarnate._

_And yet, at the same time, she was angry. Where had he been for the past seven years? Where had he been when she'd needed him the most? Why had he broken his promise to return? Why didn't . . . why didn't she mean as much to him as he did to her?_

_But over encompassing the anger was the complete and utter joy that she felt at her friend's return . . . It was like he was back from the dead._

"_Malon," he said in a hesitant voice as if testing unsafe waters._

_This was the part where she was suppose to say something, but no words seemed appropriate enough to express her feelings--ambivalent as they were._

"_Are you alright?"_

_A forced nod seemed sufficient enough of an answer._

_He took a step towards her and lifted her chin to get a good look at her face. He frowned, obviously not happy with what he found there. Malon still couldn't speak, watching him with eyes that had seen far, far too much. Link's touch was gentle which went in direct contrast with the vicious slap that Ingo had given her just moments prior; her face still hurt from it, but now there was pleasure to accompany it. It was a . . . strange sensation, to say the least._

"_What happened?" he asked at long last. It was then she noticed his voice was deeper--which, she supposed, was to be expected since he was a lot older since the last she saw him. Oh, how much he'd changed . . ."Where's Talon?"_

"_Kicked out," she said, finally finding her voice. "Ingo kicked him out."_

"_Who put Ingo in charge?"_

"_Ganondorf."_

_A long pause, full of tension. He released her chin but his hold on her remained. "I should've guessed."_

"_Where is he?" She couldn't keep the fear from creeping into the question. It didn't seem right to her to be afraid of Ingo, of all people, but there was no helping it now. Not after what he'd done to her. He was now a threat, she'd have to treat him as such._

"_Ingo? He's downstairs . . ." Link shook his head as if it didn't matter. "He won't hurt you again, Malon. I won't let him. I promise."_

"_You promise," she bit out scathingly, unable to help herself. Link had always been big on promises...but not so much on keeping them. He had another thing coming if he thought he could just waltz in here and start spouting such things. "How comforting."_

_The comment caught Link off guard, obvious by his wide-eyed stare as he processed the words and tried to understand the meaning behind them. It didn't take him very long as witnessed by his brows knitting together in a look of consternation. Instead of confronting what she'd said, or the truth behind it, he continued on a similar topic . . . albeit probably not the most suitable one given the tensions running between them._

"_You can't let Ingo push you around, Malon."_

"_Push me around?" She was incredulous. Was that what he thought of her? That she was still some little girl who needed protecting? He must not remember her at all if he believed that. "For your information, I wasn't letting him 'push me around'. But some of us know how to pick our battles."_

_Another cheap shot at Link but it didn't seem as if he got that one. "You didn't defend yourself," he pointed out the same disapproving expression he'd had when he'd looked her over, obviously displeased with that fact._

"_I didn't think he'd hit me!"_

"_He's working for _Ganondorf_, Malon, what did you expect?"_

_She bristled at that. "How _dare_ you. How dare you come in here after being gone for _seven years_ and then start making--assumptions! You don't know half of the things I've been through . . ."_

_The man's expression softened considerably. "You're right. I don't."_

_His agreeing with her threw her off, causing some of the anger to dissipate into mere agitation. She crossed her arms over her chest in a decidedly defiant action, almost as if she were waiting for him to add some retort or another._

"_And I'm sorry for that," he said. There was a pregnant pause, giving his words more meaning. "I'm sorry I broke my promise to you, Malon, but it wasn't . .. I didn't have a choice. If I could have stayed with you, I would much rather have done that. Believe me."_

_Malon kept her gaze focused on him, absorbing every word he said. She wanted to believe him. But, at the same time, there was that gnawing fear that if she did--if she let him in again--that she would get hurt. Again. Possibly worse this time. Link had been her best friend and she wanted--no, _needed_--that friendship again . . . but not at the cost of her heart, her very soul._

_So the question became this: could she risk it?_

_Looking at him, she knew the answer._

_She embraced him suddenly, burying her face in his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. There was no awkwardness, only understanding. The stranger, Link, was gone; the stranger, Malon, was gone. Both replaced by Link and Malon, two friends with a love for one another that transcended time itself._

"_I did it to protect you," he whispered to her. "I didn't know . . ."_

_It was then she realized how much the separation had hurt him, how his pain equaled her own just in a different way that she couldn't quite understand. His words didn't make complete sense to her, but that mattered little. All that mattered, she realized, was that he was here now._

_He was here now, thank the Goddesses. Oh, how she'd missed him._

"_I'm sorry that I haven't been here to protect you--"_

"_Link . . ."_

_He pulled back to look at her, silencing her almost immediately. He held her by the shoulders, giving her cause to look at him...as if his just being there at all wasn't reason enough._

"_But that's going to change," he continued, vehement. "You hear me? I'm not going to let anything hurt you ever again, Mal."_

"_Okay," she said, smiling through her tears. "Just don't promise."_

_He laughed lightly at her pitiful joke before nodding. "Deal." _

_She figured he knew that there was truth in the request. There would need to be a good deal of healing--and explaining--before any more promises could be made in good conscience._

_But there would be plenty of time for that._

_With him back, it felt like they had all the time in the world._

_--_

Her eyes snapped open even as a scream threatened to rip from her throat. Flinging herself upwards, she pulled the covers of her bed with her, gripping them with white fists. The rising hysteria that had built as a result of her dream clung to her like her sweat-drenched pajamas. It took a few moments for her mind to register her own room, the reality of where she was. Even once it had, the gruesome images from her dream remained in her head, tormenting her torrent thoughts.

"Just a dream," she whispered to the dark. The same dark which had seemed so suffocating and terrifying moments ago lightened as her eyes adjusted to it. "Just a dream . . ."

No, not a dream, a _nightmare_.

One would have thought that she would have gotten used to such night terrors by now given the fact that they occurred so frequently. Even in sleep there was no peace to be found in the land of Hyrule.

Malon slipped from the bed, her blood pulsing through her veins and her heart continuing to pound in her ears. She'd had some awful nightmares before, but that one had been one of the worst; point in fact, even upon attempting to recall it--and why it scared her so much--she could not do it. The darkness from reality that had penetrated her subconscious seemed to present a wall between the two even now, separating mind from memory. Perhaps it was better this way, she supposed.

The unfamiliar sound of heavy breathing reached her ears, and gave her pause. Her cobalt eyes peering through the dark found the cause of the sound--a large wolf lying at the foot of her bed, snoring. This was the first night that she'd let Midnight sleep inside the house. Before, she'd been hesitant in letting the creature sleep in the stables with the other animals but he'd proven himself docile. Having been alone with just the horses, cows, and cuccos for so long, she found that she longed for new companionship. Even stranger than allowing a potentially dangerous animal to sleep in her house, she was finding that she felt better with Midnight close by.

Like now, for instance. Just the wolf's presence had a calming effect on her. For some reason, she felt rather attached to the animal already. Midnight certainly had more personality than most of the other barnyard inhabitants (save for maybe Epona). It was almost like he was a person in a wolf's body . . . But even as she thought this, it seemed foolish. Probably just another side effect of being in isolation for so long with no other humans to talk to.

Midnight's fur-coated back rose and fell with each breath inhaled and exhaled. The wolf seemed perfectly content in his slumber, a tranquility that Malon hadn't found in hers. At least one of them would get a good night's sleep. She doubted that she would be able to go back to sleep now, given that it was close to dawn. In any event, she didn't have a particular desire to tempt her nightmares into having a second go at her subconscious.

Tiptoeing from the room so as to not awake her animal companion, she headed outside for some fresh air.

What she found, however, was not fresh air but a heavy tension laid thick about Lon Lon Ranch. The cuccos were flitting about in a nervous tizzy while the horses continued to neigh and whinny with anxious anticipation. The cows were silent and still, but there was a concern that could be seen within their gentle brown eyes. The animals could sense something coming, and Malon was starting to feel the same.

Everything within the ranch seemed safe, stable; no difference could be seen or noted. This meant that the danger had to be coming from elsewhere, outside of the ranch's enclosed walls. With her curiousity piqued, she had no other option but head towards the entrance to her home, to see if there was anything truly the matter or if it was just her imagination.

The sight that greeted her was not one she'd ever hoped to meet: a group of shadowy creatures and they were headed directly towards Lon Lon Ranch!

For a moment, fear froze her feet. She couldn't move, think, _breathe_. But upon seeing the creatures begin to light fire to the field, the sight of the red flames spurred her own fiery nature into action. The ranch was her livelihood, her home; there was nothing else she could do but protect it and those within it. If they thought that they could destroy her only material comfort left in Hyrule, then they were quite mistaken. It would be a losing fight likely, but she'd put up a fight nonetheless.

Determination leant her speed as she rushed into the stables, swinging the doors wide open. She freed the horses and cows, ushering them outside and towards freedom. They wouldn't be safe in the ranch when the monsters reached it, she knew. If she fell, then they would have just been trapped . . . doomed to be burned alive or eaten by the abominations. Her animals, her friends whom she loved so dearly deserved better fates than that. Precaution or no, it would be better this way.

"Go, Epona!" she cried as she attempted to move the stubborn horse. "Go!"

The horse obviously sensed the danger, apparent by its skittish appearance, but seemed more intent on staying with its owner than fleeing for its own life. Malon could understand why to an extent--Epona had already lost Link, she probably didn't want to lose another rider she loved. Still, if Epona stayed, she'd be put in danger; Malon loved the horse too much to allow anything bad to happen to her.

"It's not safe!" she said, grunting as she tried to get the creature to budge. "Please, Epona, go! Go with the other horses, make sure they're all safe." It was a bad habit speaking to Epona as if she were a human who could understand just as well, but ofttimes Malon wasn't sure if Epona wasn't just as intelligent for she always seemed to understand.

Brushing her face against Malon's in a loving gesture, Epona relented and galloped away after the other horse and cattle. As soon as the front gates were open, the cuccos followed suit in a squawking mess of feathers. Now that her animals were free and hopefully safe (their instincts would guide them, right?), Malon had to attend to the ranch's defense . . . little though it would prove to be.

Rushing inside the house, she grabbed one of the pitchforks she kept for just such an occasion (well, perhaps not _just such_ an occasion; she'd never anticipated having to defend herself from true monsters such as these shadow creatures) and in the process woke up the sleeping wolf upstairs. Malon had forgotten about Midnight until he appeared at the top of the stairs, looking half-asleep still.

"C'mon, Midnight!" she called to him even as she ran back outside. The door, having been left open, allowed the wolf to follow which he did.

The unnatural sounds produced by the approaching creatures gave Malon shivers and, for just a few seconds, she entertained the idea of making a run for it. The cowardly thought was quickly chased off, however, and her grip around the pitchfork--her only weapon at present--tightened. Lon Lon Ranch was more than just a few walls and some animals; it was a haven for her memories, the only thing that kept her going in these Goddess-damned days. She couldn't let these creatures take her memories from her . . . She wouldn't let them take her memories of Link from her.

Midnight growled, no longer looking like the friendly wolf he'd been to Malon. His eyes narrowed to dangerous slits over his elongated snout which was baring equally intimidating teeth. Everything about the creature was dangerous . . . And he seemed just as eager to defend the ranch as Malon. Or maybe he wasn't defending the ranch at all, but the strong-spirited girl who lived there.

"Go on, Midnight, get!" Malon said, trying to get the animal to flee. Midnight was a strong and capable fighter . . . but he was still suppose to be recovering from his previous fight. Malon loved the wolf too much to let it get hurt in defense of her. "I'll be fine, go!"

Instead of acquiescing to the demand, Midnight only moved in front of Malon to provide her with a solid line of defense. It was touching, but also concerning. If Midnight got hurt, she'd feel guilty.

But there was little time to think about such things as the creatures were now upon them. Midnight made the first move, leaping onto one of the creatures and viciously ripping into its black skin. Malon took the opportunity to make a slash at one of the other monsters with her pitchfork, but the blunt object seemed to just bounce off the creature's tough hide. While Midnight was occupied with the one monster, tearing into its throat, the others quickly ganged up on the practically defenseless farmgirl.

Malon's mouth went dry as she turned around and around, trying not to let the creatures get behind her. There were four of them and they had her at every angle--the fifth still being distracted by Midnight. The pitchfork felt heavy in her hands. What had she been thinking trying to fight these monsters?

_I was thinking that I had to be brave,_ her thoughts answered her, _just like Link would have been._

The creature swung at her and she jumped backwards, barely avoiding being slashed across the chest. The monster that had circled behind her wrapped its arms around her as she moved into its range of attack. Malon cried out as the monster tightened its hold. Violently thrashing, she swung her pitchfork around haphazardly, gaining purchase in one of the other creature's faces. It let out a vicious cry and moved away, but that didn't help her any against the creature whose hold was growing tighter and tighter. Goddess, she couldn't breathe!

Suddenly, she found herself falling to the ground as the monster abruptly released her. Coughing, it took her a few seconds to get back to her feet but she did. Just in time to see Midnight's canine weapons sink into the monster's head without mercy. It collapsed, looking just as dead as the other one that Midnight had slain. Malon had to admit that she was thankful that the wolf had stayed around . . . Otherwise, it was likely she'd be shadow creature food by now.

The creature's arm seemed to come out of nowhere and Malon wasn't fast enough to defend herself with the pitchfork; it swiped her aside with ease, slamming her into the wall of the stables. Black dots filled her vision, blotting out everything else. She held on to her consciousness by a thin thread, knowing that it was likely she'd never awake again to the light if she fell into the darkness now.

Blinking, her vision cleared just in time to see Midnight hovering over her. The other creatures had been chased a few feet away and the wolf was now hauling her onto its back. Was this the only option left, to flee?

"No," she mumbled, but the wolf ignored her. It had its priorities, and it seemed that Malon came before the ranch.

Out of instinct or a healthy sense of preservation, Malon grabbed Midnight's fur, keeping a good hold of it as the wolf bolted past the angry monsters. Her head felt stuffy, as if lost in a heavy fog from the hit she took against the wall. She managed to look back only briefly . . . just in time to see the monsters begin to light the ranch on fire.

And then everything went black as she pitched forward into Midnight's soft black coat.

_A/N: Reviews are love! Flames are not._


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